


White Lilies

by KurotheDarkRingmaster



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-03-13 13:49:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 124,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3383927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KurotheDarkRingmaster/pseuds/KurotheDarkRingmaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus goes every year with white lilies in hand, without fail, to visit the grave of the woman he loved. As Harry's eleventh birthday approaches, he becomes concerned about the world the boy is about to enter and will have to live in. However, he doesn't know of the personal hell Harry is residing in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

 

**Prologue:**

It was a crisp autumn, the air was damp and the ground underfoot was slightly wet from the rain which had fallen earlier. Leaves which had once been on the now barren trees had fallen and covered the path. It was dark as midnight approached, and a gloomy air had settled over a small village of houses. Standing under the light of the full moon before what had once been a home was a figure dressed in black, he was tall and rather thin with his hands at his side, barely visible from under the long sleeves he wore, the black cloak which had surrounded the figure pooled behind him, it's long sleeved swayed in the wind as it blew gently through the silent village. Sallow hands stood out from the night but not nearly as much as a small bouquet of white lilies.

It had taken the man days to find one place which had pure white lilies this time of year, every year he hunted for the flowers for the woman he loved. Every year without fail he would find them and give them to her. Although the fire had long been extinguished the scent of wood burning filled the man's nose, and that eerie silence which had refused to leave him rung in them. Black eyes closed as the man grimaced in pain, that day he lost everything. His face was even paler in the moonlight and contrasted greatly against the curtains of black hair he had. His nose was rather large and hooked, a gift from his father after one too many blows. His lips pressed together once more forming a thin line before he opened his eyes and surveyed what was left of it. Most of it had fallen down; the entire second floor's roof had collapsed inward. The initial blast had taken out part of the roof; he could still remember climbing over the rubble to get inside. The windows were broken now, the walls were slowly falling apart and the numbers and name which had once proclaimed the house as the residence of the Potters had tarnished.

He had lost everything and yet nothing at the same time, she wasn't his, she belonged to Potter. Hesitantly long fingers slipped out from the long sleeves of the robe and gently caressed the closed gate of the house; the wood was weathered and harsh to the touch. His potion stained fingers rested on the gate for a moment as he remembered how the house had once looked. The gardens had been filled with greenery, flowers bloomed and the gate was smooth and stained, now it looked as though it had been dragged out of a garbage heap, the perennials had withered away from the lack of care and the vines which had covered the rest of the gate started to take over the house itself. It had been ten years, a decade, and yet he still couldn't do it. He couldn't cross the threshold, far too many memories were there, memories of a life he knew he could never have.

The man turned on his heel and began to stride to an all too familiar destination, the end. His black, pointed boots clicked as he continued to walk down the street, his robe billowed behind him as he cradled the delicate white flowers in his hands. They were for her, even if he could never have her, he still loved her. He smiled grimly as he remembered the woman's fiery red hair which matched her temper all too well. Her small nose and sweet cheeks and finally those eyes, her beautiful doe-like emerald green eyes. Standing before him was the one statue he couldn't stand, the Potters in all their glory, a reminded again of what he had lost so long ago. He continued on his path to the cemetery and before he even realized it found himself standing before a familiar sight, a headstone with two names, James and Lily Potter. No matter how many times he had seen it, his emotions still got the best of him, a chill sliced into him and caused him to tremble. Hesitantly he slipped his fingers over the damp and cold headstone. They traced the smooth granite and slowly lowered to run over her name, Lily's name.

He loved her with all his heart, and yet she had chosen Potter, he had known her for years before they even went to Hogwarts only for him to lose her. "Hi Lily," he rasped as he fought back a fresh wave of grief. After a moment he bent to the ground and knelt before her, "It's that time of year again, your son will be coming to Hogwarts soon," he said softly as he felt the supple petals of the lilies in his hands. "Things have gotten dark without you around, I'm scared of the world Harry will be walking into," he stated sadly, he had given up fearing the world in which he was sliding into quickly, he had chosen to slip into the dark. "I managed to get Albus to allow me to leave the castle tonight, he nearly denied me, silly isn't it?" he asked sadly as he turned his attention to the flowers, "I had to hunt for them this year, every year they are getting harder and harder to find."

He smiled sadly at the flowers, he remembered the first time he had given her a lily, it was white as well, they were nine years old sitting in their favorite spot. He had managed to flinch a lily from the neighbor's garden. The large flower was soft to the touch; it reminded him of her skin and tender touch whenever he was hurt. He could remember how she helped patch him up after Tobias beat him. He had held the flower out to the girl and watched as her face lit up with joy, her words rang in his ears, "Sev it's beautiful," she gushed. She was the only one allowed to call him that, Sev, it was a nickname reserved just for her. He demanded that everyone else call him Severus, although Lucius never listened to him and called him Sev anyway, which he yelled about, only she could say it. She eagerly took the flower and tucked it behind her ear, the resilient white petals of the flower stood out against her fiery red hair, the golden sunlight made her glow like an angel. He shook his head and sighed, he never told her, he placed the flowers on the ground and pulled out an all too familiar ebony wand. With a simple movement, he placed a charm on the flowers so that they would remain in bloom for the rest of the year until his return. He slowly rose from the earth and gazed longingly at the stone. "I love you, I have always loved you," he whispered as he touched the cold stone once more before turning on his heel and apparating back to a castle filled with young witches and wizards.

All of whom had seemed to have never learned just what happened that All Hallows Eve Night, the night he would never forget from 10 years ago, the night he lost his Lily.

 


	2. They Came with the Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every year, Christmas is one of the most painful holidays for three people who have always hated the holiday. Severus is dragged to Malfoy's Manchester Estate after Lucius appears in his Lab, in an attempt to get the man out. Prior to leaving Severus is asked by Albus to check on Harry, of course Albus is unaware of just who is with the Potion Master. Severus agrees only to find himself with a similar set of orders from the Dark Lord, and a little extra baggage in the form of an all too happy and seasonally bright blonde aristocrat who drives Severus nuts. 
> 
> All the while, a certain young boy is forced out of his cupboard and reminded just what Father Christmas usually brings him, or at least he thought it was. That was until he met two men in the snow.

The scent of gingerbread and sweets hung in the air, as the house bustled and laughter filled it. The smell of Cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, and ginger permeated the air, each one part of the elegant perfume known as Holiday Cheer. The soft woodiness of pine lingered in the air. Green garland wrapped around the staircase of the home, with white lights and large red velvet bows. There was a large green wreath on the door covered in plastic ornaments and fake packages each wrapped to perfection. A resin snowman rested on a small table by the door, with plastic buttons for eyes.

 

The walls were lined with photos of what appeared to be a beach ball with different colored caps, it was only upon further inspection that the viewer learned that said ball was a child. Nearly every photo was the same, three faces staring back at the viewer, smiling with different backdrops. Standing tall in a corner of the den was a tree that had yet to be decorated. Its eaves were bare as it waited for the special touches of a family to transform it from simply a tree into a beacon of joy for the season.

 

Standing in the kitchen in a pastel pink apron was a lanky horse-faced woman, her eyes were narrow and face covered in wrinkles. She was wearing a dress that looked as though it had been plucked from the closet of a traditional ‘50s housewife, complete with red nails and belt. Standing beside her in a green and red holiday sweater was a whale of a boy, who honestly looked like a pig in trousers. He had thin blond hair and his face was as round as a ball. His fingers were covered in the icing used to plaster smiles on the gingerbread men, “Now pumpkin, don’t eat all the icing, we have to still add their faces,” she chirped.

 

The boy whined, “Mummy, can’t we just make more?”

 

There was a deep chuckle from the doorway, “‘Atta boy Dudley, always trying to get his money’s worth,” said another whale-like man, his eyes were barely visible in on his face. He had a mustache and thin gray hair, his voice carried through the house loudly.

 

Yet, no one knew that nestled inside of a cupboard, in the dark far away from the merriment, was a little boy. He was a scrawny little boy, pale and rather gaunt, large bruises and scars littered his body. His black hair was a perpetual mess, he had a pair of large emerald green eyes, hidden behind large round glasses that were held together mainly by tape. The only thing the boy liked about himself was his lightning bolt-shaped scar on his head; he thought it was nice to look different. He was wrapped in clothes, which were three times larger than he was, they swallowed him. His body ached all over and he was stiff from the last beating, his stomach was growling painfully as he smelt the gingerbread wafting in the air, which he knew he would never be able to have.

 

“Freak, decorate the tree,” barked a harsh voice, which was accompanied by a great deal of rapping on the door. As always Harry looked at the door nervously, he was honestly terrified that one day she would break the door down by simply knocking on it.

 

“Yes Aunt Petunia,” he replied quickly, he listened to the deadbolt slide from the other side of the door, and waited patiently in the darkness for the door to swing open and allow the light in. Without fail, Petunia swung the door open, and stood off to the side with her hands on her hips. Even though he knew Freak wasn’t his name, he still replied to it. It had been so long since he had heard his name, like many other facts about himself, he only learned them so he could attend school. However, since it was Break he didn’t get the luxury of hearing it, instead he was called Freak or Boy, both names he hated.

 

He slowly crawled out of his small cupboard that was located under the stairs. It was always dusty and filled with spiders; it often smelt of the chemicals which were also housed in it. Her eyes pierced him as she glared harshly at the little boy who was standing before him, even though he didn’t look up, he knew full well she was, he could feel her gaze on him. “You burnt the breakfast this morning, however, since Mister Mason will be coming, we need the tree decorated,” she stated harshly, her voice was cold and sounded nothing like the sweet one that was reserved for his cousin Dudley.

 

“Yes, Aunt Petunia,” he replied softly, knowing that if he made much noise or fuss he wouldn’t be fed. The Dursleys weren’t keen on feeding him to begin with, it wasn’t uncommon for him to go days without food. According to Vernon, he didn’t deserve to eat unless he had done all his chores, and even then he often wasn’t fed simply because he was different. Long ago, Harry had grown accustomed to not eating or receiving table scraps rather than an actual meal.

 

She seemed pleased with this and snapped, “Well into the living room, there are several boxes. Put everything on the tree and try not to break anything.” Harry listened to her storm away before finally lifting his gaze. He stared at the large tree, and at the boxes on the floor. He was ten years old now since he had turned eight years old he was decorating the tree, wrapping presents and cooking dinners for the holiday. He knew how to do laundry, iron and clean better than even his Aunt who wanted the house to look as though it came out of a magazine catalog.

 

Thankfully, his uncle had put the lights on the tree. The year before last, he had forgotten and he had sent the tree falling to the floor through a glass table on its way as he tried to get the lights on it. Without any more thought, he reached into a box and pulled out a tray of glistening glass orbs, they were so reflective that he could see himself in them. He paused as he stared at his reflection, a sigh escaped him before attaching a green hook and hanging it on the tree.

 

For three weeks, he would be known as Freak, and never Harry. Harry’s fingers trembled slightly as he lifted another ornament to place on the limbs of the blue spruce. He could remember the beating he had received for breaking one the first time he decorated the tree. His uncle, Vernon, had broken his wrist and then lied that Harry had broken it when he fell down the stairs when he went to the emergency room. No one questioned it, they never did.

 

Each glass ball was placed on the tree with care. The first box was filled with the glistening glass orbs. However it was the second box which Harry always thought was ugly, it contained all of Dudley’s home made ornaments. While the Dursleys were so proud to have them, Harry wanted to throw them away. They were poorly made and none of them were his.

 

Each year his class would make one for the tree, and every year it would be thrown away. It hurt at first, and then it got to the point where he spared them the trouble of disposing of it, and threw it out himself. Harry placed a poorly made clay snowman on the tree next, it looked like it had three eyes and the carrot for its nose was off center. He could remember the fuss Petunia made when Dudley presented it to her, she acted as though it were the work of Manet.

 

Harry became lost in the repetitive motion of pulling the ornaments out of the box and putting them on the tree, to the point that he didn’t realize that there was a looming presence behind him. “Hey Freak, careful with my ornaments,” Dudley stated harshly, his voice was threatening and made Harry tremble. Although Vernon was the one who beat him Dudley was intimidating in other ways, like Harry Hunting, a sport which Dudley and his friends found pleasure in. Harry’s eyes widened as he turned to see his whale like cousin holding a porcelain white bell with the words, “So that all the angels may come,” on it.

 

“I am,” replied Harry slowly, he knew this game, Dudley loved it when Harry was in trouble. Dudley wrinkled his nose, “No you ain’t. Look at the tree it’s hideous,” he stated. Harry’s eyes widened as he felt his temper bubble slightly, he didn’t even realize it but an hour had passed from when he had started. “It wouldn’t be if I didn’t have to hang your ornaments on it,” Harry replied.

 

He froze and bit his lip, he shouldn’t have said that. Once again the walrus of a boy had managed to goad him into a terrible position. Harry mentally slapped himself for forgetting the fact that Dudley was always looking for a way to place Harry in a terrible position.  Dudley smiled darkly as he slowly opened his hand allowing for the small red orb to fall from the boy’s sausage like fingers. Harry’s eyes widened as he watched the bell shatter on the floor, white shards flew everywhere, and stuck in the carpet. “Dad, Freak broke an ornament!” he shouted.

 

Harry paled when he heard Vernon shout, “You worthless!” as he barged into the room. The slender little boy stared at the now shattered bell, it was an heirloom. “You think you can break our stuff and get away with it!” he shouted angrily. Harry was trembling, fear ran through his body in waves, he didn’t want this, he just wanted to have a peaceful Christmas. Vernon grabbed Harry’s arm harshly and twisted it behind the boy’s back. The cracking sound filled Harry’s ears as Vernon twisted. It hurt, however, Harry knew if he cried out, it would only make it worse. “It appears that once wasn’t enough today,” spat Vernon. Harry closed his eyes and began to pray that he would not wake up after this beating.

 

Vernon harshly dragged Harry to the basement, it was dark and cold. All of the warmth, which had flowed through the upper floors of the house, was gone as he entered the darkness of the basement. Vernon growled as he shoved the boy against the wall. Harry knew the drill, he knew it all to well. The little boy slipped out of the raggedy tee he was wearing a draped it over a dented folding chair near the stairs. Once that was done he slipped out of his pants, so that he was nude before his uncle, exposed for the world to see. “It would appear that we will have to resort to harsher treatment,” Vernon hissed. Harry’s eyes widened when he spotted a belt with a large steel buckle, he knew his uncle wouldn’t go easy on him, he would get the buckle for what he had done, for even being born.

 

“Hands on the wall,” Vernon spat. Harry did as he was told and closed his eyes, “You will count them, fifteen lashings,” said Vernon darkly as he snapped the leather belt. “Yes, sir,” Harry replied quickly as he closed his eyes and bit his lip. Without warning Vernon brought the belt down upon the boy’s marred back. Harry fought every urge to scream as he felt the metal bit his skin, tugging his barely healed wounds open. It stung, “One,” Harry stated, this was going to be a long punishment.

 

~~WL~~

 

The holidays were perhaps one of the brightest times of year, and yet, they brought one man in particular the most pain. Hunched over a steaming caldron in his laboratory in Spinner’s End was none other than Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Several daring Gryffindors of the house Quidditch team pulled a few dangerous stunts, and thanks to that nearly ran Poppy out of Blood Replenisher. Severus sighed as he stirred the caldron counter clockwise with a crystal stirring rod, his potion stained fingers held it tenderly.

 

He missed Lily the most this time of year, and the Christmases at the Evan’s house, away from Tobias. Every year, he would light a candle in his bedroom window for one person, Lily. Even though Snape wasn’t a religious man in nature, he still thought that if he lit the candle that she would at least visit him for one night. He hummed softly as he removed the caldron from heat, and waited for the potion to cool before he could siphon it off and bottle it properly. All of the bottles were waiting with his signature labels and crest pressed into the glass.

 

He listened to his words ring with a warning before a loud pop occurred. “Hello Lucius,” Snape said smoothly, as he began cleaning up the mess, which had been made while brewing. “How the hell did you know it was me?” asked the blonde aristocrat as he strode in. Severus smirked as he listened to the clock in the other room chime, “Because you are a minute early, and you always show up this time each year to invite me to your home for dinner,” he replied.

 

His black eyes found a pair of rather amused grays looking back at him, “I suppose you are right,” replied Lucius as he dropped the aristocratic mask of a Malfoy and donned the loving friend. “I just don’t want to see you alone on Christmas Eve, and Narcissa is always worried that you aren’t eating again,” he pointed out before making himself comfortable on a stool in the lab. Ever since Lucius had gotten the address to Spinner’s End and demanded to be keyed into the wards, Severus was unable to get the blonde to go away. Oddly the company was welcome, not that Severus would ever admit it. “I am, ask Sage,” he said smoothly as he walked over to the caldron, and began filling the labeled bottles with the garnet red potion. Lucius heaved a sigh while crossing his arms, “Severus, just join us for dinner when you’re done. Draco misses you,” he stated simply, there was a hint of an unsaid threat in his words. For as long as Severus had known Lucius, the man was making the silent threat of dragging him out of the house, oddly it was never because Lucius missed him though.

 

Severus arched a brow as he looked at the blonde, “Okay, we all miss you,” Lucius clarified. As always the man dodged the look, Severus shook his head, he supposed that was the closest he would ever hear the proud blonde say he missed him. There was a hint of sadness in the man’s voice, it seemed to echo through the room, “Severus, it’s the Holidays and you’re cooped up making Blood Replenisher, that’s not a really attractive way to spend it,” Lucius reasoned, as he looked at his cane in his leather gloved hands. His black leather fingers traced the silver head of the serpent.

 

Few knew that Lucius’ wand was tucked inside the top of his cane, the wizard couldn’t stand being defenseless, the thought made him nervous. “It has to be done,” Severus replied simply, and Lucius hummed as he shook his head, his platinum blond hair swayed as he did so. “Sev, come on, it can wait till tomorrow can’t it? You’ve already made one batch,” Lucius observed as his cold grey eyes fell on the large pewter caldron and the vials, which the Potion’s Master was filling. Severus twitched when Lucius used the nickname, however let it slide. Lucius knew who Severus was avoiding thinking about, Lily. Even when they were older Severus spent time with Lily, they even went looking for trees, not anymore.

 

Before the Potion’s Master could reply he heard his floo buzz. “You better take a look, it might be Professor Dumbledore,” he drawled before rising and wandering into another room. Severus sighed and rubbed his hand over his eyes, before striding toward the fireplace. After a moment he stuck his head in it, “Yes Albus?” he drawled, “I’ve been making potions for Poppy, can’t this wait?”

 

The Headmaster chuckled, his eyes held that infernal twinkle. “No my boy, I’m afraid not. I need someone to check on Harry, the person I have watching the house is concerned for his well being. Although I assure you that they are taking wonderful care of the boy,” Albus said simply. Severus stared at the Headmaster, he didn’t want to see Harry, the reminder of who he had lost Lily to. He glared angrily at the Headmaster and replied, “If they are taking such wonderful care of him, then I don’t need to go,” he stated, “Send Minerva or Filius. I’m very busy.”

 

Albus smiled brightly, “Come now Severus, surely Lily would want you to check on the boy. I doubt anything is wrong, just pop in,” he said smoothly. Severus internally sighed, the man wasn’t going to leave him be until he did so, of course he would use Lily. “Fine, I need the address,” he spat. His arms were crossed as he mentally kicked himself for giving in so easily. Then again, it would get a certain blonde out of his hair for a bit, which wasn’t a bad idea. “Number 4, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey,” replied Albus with a grin. “Is there anything else Albus?” asked Severus tightly, he wasn’t comfortable going into a muggle area let alone to see Potter. “No, Happy Christmas, Severus,” Albus chirped before stepping away from the floo.

 

 Severus rose to his full height and scowled at the aristocrat, who had clearly been eavesdropping in the doorway. “Well we have his address now,” said Lucius sang with an ever growing smirk. The Potion’s Master looked at the blonde in exasperation, “Looks like I will be going to your home sooner than expected,” he commented as he picked up a handful of floo powder and tossed it into the fire. As much as he hated indulging the blonde he didn’t want to deal with the man he would have to bite the bullet to talk to their houseguest. “Malfoy Manor, Manchester, England,” he shouted over the roar of the flames.

 

Once he had managed to step out of the fireplace, he swept the soot from his shoulder and looked at the decorated mansion. It looked as though it were part of an elaborate fairy tale. A massive tree stood in the foyer, decorated in snow and ice with assorted ornaments through out. Birds were perched in it, which had once been paper flapping their wings and hopping from branch to branch. Severus even spotted a pair of them preening one another. Clearly Narcissa had decided to go a little further this year, he spotted tiny lanterns hanging in the tree. A beautiful star hovered just above the top of the tree, it’s soft blue light caressed the walls and ceiling. Severus stared at the advanced work of Lucius’ wife, Narcissa was very good at charms and healing, however not as good as Lily. Lily was one of the best and could have been a Charm’s Mistress if she were still alive.

 

The railings of the stairs were wrapped in living garland with bows, ribbons and ice orbs. His eyes traveled around the room as he spotted the holly and poinsettias. The manor was glistening with warmth and joy, Lucius hummed affectionately as he slipped his hands in his pockets and smiled, “Home,” he breathed as he walked through the hallway past Severus. This Lucius was very different from the one which frequented the halls of the Ministry of Magic, this one was relaxed, loving and softer.

 

In the distance Severus could hear the soft laughter of a very happy Draco and Narcissa. “Draco, you’re supposed to frost the cookies, not wear it,” she teased. The sight must have been warm, however Severus knew that he wouldn’t see them till later. Lucius was leading him to the opposite end of the house. The decorations oddly continued through here, they were getting closer to Lucius’ study, then again he did work for the Ministry and had to keep up appearances. The blonde smiled as he opened the doors of his study, before the fire was a large black chair with a slate blue Irish Wolfhound sitting beside it. “Lucius, I thought it would take longer to peel Severus away from his work,” teased a very familiar voice, it was smooth and contained a note of humor. As always it’s owner spoke just a few disciples over a whisper, something that most people found eerie. “I almost didn’t successes until a certain Headmaster ripped him away,” replied Lucius.

Severus stood beside the chair and looked at the man who was sitting in it. His bright red eyes shone more vividly in the orange glow of the fire, he had a pale complexion with black hair which had been neatly styled. Curled up in his lap was his massive familiar Nagini, a book was between his long fingers and the man sighed. “What does he want?” he asked elegantly as he arched a brow. He was dressed in a smart black three piece suit with a bright red tie that brought out his eyes, a pocket watch hung from one of the buttons on his waist coat. Severus drew a deep breath before replying, “He wants me to check on Potter, my lord.”

Red eyes gazed into the fire as though they were searching for something, “I see,” he drawled. The book snapped closed and found itself on the table beside him before Severus watched the man’s long fingers fish his familiar yew and phoenix feather wand from his pocket and twirled it absent mindedly. “Who rang the alarm?” he asked after a moment. Severus knew the man would want to know, “I have no idea my lord, Albus didn’t say anything,” he replied.

The yew and phoenix feather wand stopped moving, “Severus, we are in private, call me Tom like you always have. That formality is for meetings,” he stated as he rubbed his temples, a sign of irritation in the rather young looking Tom Riddle. “Forgive me,” Severus said softly. The dark haired man chuckled and smiled a little, “Always the same. Severus, do as Dumbledore asks, check on the boy. However-” Tom abruptly stopped speaking and grit his teeth, his free hand gripped the arm of the leather chair he was sitting in. His face twisted in pain as he closed his eyes and hissed, “Again? It’s nearly Christmas,” he seethed as his grip increased on the arm of the chair.

“Tom?” asked Severus quickly, instantly getting ready to help the man sitting before him. Tom drew a deep breath before slowly opening his eyes, “They’re hurting him, again, I don’t know how I know, I just do,” he stated as he slowly loosened his grip on the chair. Nangini perked up and began hissing to her master, Tom replied to her quickly, it was oddly soothing to watch the two converse with one another. “What do you mean?” asked Severus slowly. Tom sighed as he looked at the Potion’s Master, “Harry isn’t safe there, no matter what the old man says, check on him and if you see a reason to remove him from that hell hole,” Tom said slowly. Severus looked to Lucius who was staring at the man before him, “No one deserves that,” Tom said slowly.

Although Severus honestly wanted to know more, he knew it was a very bad idea to question the young dark lord so he nodded and simply waited to be sent off. It had been a few years since they brought the dark lord back, however after doing so the man asked to have more of his Horcruxes destroyed so he could be whole. Even though the man had been insane at first, the one who was sitting in the chair now was perfectly stable and a kind man who had a bit of a temper. “You are dismissed, and Severus take Lucius with you,” Tom added. Lucius grinned with delight as he trailed after the Potion’s Master who was now attempting to keep his temper in check, “Of course my lord,” he replied stiffly before leaving the study, with Lucius hot on his heels.

“You thought you were getting rid of me huh?” chirped Lucius as he continued down the hallway. Severus rolled his eyes and replied, “No of course not. It wouldn’t be a horrid idea to bring an aristocratic blonde lord by the name of Malfoy to the suburbs of Britain.” Severus grinned as he strode toward the foyer, “I resent that!” shouted Lucius as he hurried after the long strides of Severus. “Resent what?” asked a silky smooth voice, Lucius turned to see Narcissa standing in the hall with her arms crossed and a look of doubt on her face. “Nothing, I have to go with Severus on a mission for the Dark Lord,” said Lucius smoothly.

She glared at him as though he were a little boy attempting to get out of a bath, which was something a Malfoy would never do. “Oh?” she asked. Lucius sighed and looked pleadingly at Severus. “You’re wife, not mine,” Severus replied, “Lovely as always Narcissa,” he said with a smile. She chuckled and looked at the Potion’s Master, “Severus will you return in time for dinner?” she asked curiously. Lucius was still fidgeting a little but seemed to relax, they really were an excellent match for one another. “Yes, we both will,” he replied. She sighed and waved her hand, “Just be careful you two, dinner’s at eight,” she stated softly.

~~WL~~

The air outside was cold which was oddly soothing the fire, which had spread across Harry’s back. He could still hear the crack of the belt as it hit his skin, after the thirty lashings, Vernon decided to add another reminder one which Harry knew would haunt him. Blood trickled down his back and leg; it began to soak through his pants and shirt. He had been thrown one of his cousin’s old jackets and handed a wad of cash, Petunia needed him to pick up more crackers, she hadn’t purchased enough of them for the tray she was putting together in order to entertain the Masons.

His green eyes were slightly swollen from crying as he looked at the now empty street, thankfully the store wasn’t too far. The little boy shoved his hands in his pockets before he started walking slowly down the street. Thankfully his uncle hadn’t broken anything, but it didn’t hurt any less. The only place they never hurt him was his face, everything else was up for the taking. Harry shivered from the thought of his uncle and his cruelty. For as long as he could remember he was beaten, starved and ignored. All he wanted was a family of his own to love him, he didn’t think it was selfish, even if the Dursleys did.

There wasn’t a flake of snow in sight as Harry continued to walk. It didn’t snow often in England, in fact it rarely ever did. Yet, he still wanted it to, he wanted to watch those white flakes dance in the air and stare at the fresh blankets which covered the ground and made it seem as though the earth were sleeping. The sky was dark, not a star or even the moon was in it, it was hard to have hope when he couldn’t see the stars which were supposed to always be there. He sighed as he continued down the street, suddenly there was a loud crack which made him jump. It sounded as though a cannon had been fired. His eyes scanned the area as his heart began to pound, only to see nothing. He sighed and shook his head, he had to hurry if he were going to make it back to the house before the Masons arrived.

As he walked everything began feeling numb, he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or how badly he was hurt. In all honesty, Harry couldn’t tell anymore. He was pulled from his thoughts when he arrived at a small shop, they were fortunately still open. Once through the doors Harry was greeted with a gust of warmth, usually he liked it, however today he didn’t have the time to enjoy it. Retrieving the crackers was his priority, even if Vernon had guests coming that didn’t mean Harry wouldn’t get beaten later for being seen or being late. He had already been told to get in his cupboard and stay there for the rest of the evening after getting the crackers. Harry walked down the aisle and looked at the rows and colorful boxes of crackers, scanning for the box which Petunia always bought. She hated anything that didn’t seem as though it came out of a magazine or book, she desired the perfect family, a family without him. She would always tell him how useless and how much of a burden he was, she wouldn’t even say his name.

Harry’s thin fingers wrapped around the box as he pulled it from the shelf, with the crackers in hand he made his way to the register. He handed the woman the money and counted back the change before pocketing it and the receipt. He knew if he didn’t have all of the change and the receipt he would be in for it. The plastic was clutched in his arms as he slowly left the store, his hands hurt from the cold and he could see his breath. It was much colder than before, Harry sighed, he knew if it got too cold he would never see the snow fall. He continued walking when he noticed something white dance before his eyes and land on the large navy blue coat he was wearing. He froze standing in front of a park and stared wide eyed at the fleck. “Snow?” he asked softly. Another flake danced in the breeze causing a smile to curve Harry’s lips.

He slowly began to walk again, a smile on his face as he watched the snow fall around him, and it began to fall much faster and harder than it had started. His eyes widened when he realized that he would never make it back home if he got stuck in the snow and the Dursleys wouldn’t go looking for him. He picked up his pace and was about to run when he heard a shout, which was followed by something hard and cold hitting his side. Instantly Harry froze and stared at his sleeve, snow was caked on it from a snowball. His eyes frantically searched for a member of Dudley's crew to land on a pair of figured a few paces away. “Missed,” proclaimed a deep silky smooth voice with a note of triumph. “Apparently not,” said another, this one was smooth but not as deep, it had an air of sophistication to it which made Harry think of Mr. Mason.

“Throw one back!” called the deeper of the two, “I’m sure he’d love assistance destroying his robes even more!” Harry was still and remained quiet, he had no idea what to do, part of him said to run and yet the other part, the one which was more curious was begging to stay.

~~WL~~

Surrey was quiet and very cold, oddly it was colder than his home in Spinner’s End. Severus looked over to see Lucius standing at his side, they had landed in a park, clearly the wards wouldn’t let them near the house. “No snow?” asked Lucius innocently as he looked around the muggle play ground. Severus shrugged and pointed out, “It’s not cold enough, hopefully it doesn’t get too cold though,” he said softly. Lucius looked up and hummed, Severus knew that there were clouds and it was only a matter of time before the snow began to fall, however, he wasn’t about to tell the snow loving Lucius that. He wouldn’t be able to get the blond aristocrat back to his wife if he did. “Looks like we have to walk,” Lucius said as he began to march toward the sidewalk, when Severus saw a small form walking on the other side of the street. “Wait,” he instructed as he watched the child.

Severus stared at the slender form which was limping slightly, his small body was practically curled over itself as he walked from the cold. “What?” asked Lucius as he looked the same way that Severus was. The boy looked up and that was when Severus felt his world stop, the boy had large round glasses, messy black hair and a pair of beautiful emerald eyes, the eyes which haunted both his dreams and nightmares. Severus was quiet as he watched the boy continue walking. “No, Sev, he’s nearly the same age as Draco, and that boy doesn’t even look 5,” Lucius said harshly. Severus could tell that Lucius didn’t believe him, but the Potion’s Master knew it had to be Potter. “Why would his family let him walk the streets this late?” asked Lucius.

Oddly the blond had asked the same question he had and he hummed before looking at him, “I don’t know.” By this point the snow was falling faster and a certain blond was enjoying it, a little too much by Severus’ standards. A snowball was flung in his direction and hit the dower man in the back. Severus looked over his shoulder with his eyes narrowed at a grinning Malfoy, now he knew just where Draco got his mischievous stint from. Even Lucius was well bred and acted as though he were above everyone else, the truth was he enjoyed causing trouble like anyone else.

Severus smiled crookedly as he slipped his wand out of his sleeve and flicked it. Snow from a near by branch fell down Lucius’ robes, causing the man to howl. “Not funny, Sev!” he hissed as he danced a little. Severus simply grinned, “That’s cold!” shouted Lucius, “And these were new robes!” It took everything Severus had not to stick out his tongue at the aristocrat who was attempting several warming charms. “You’re so getting it,” Lucius challenged as he pointed his ebony wand at the Potion’s Master. On cue a snowball was flung toward the man’s back once again, Severus smirked as he stepped aside to allow the snowball the right of way. “Missed,” he said with a hint of triumph, which only irritated the Malfoy patriarch more. It sailed through the air to a familiar slender form. Severus’ eyes went wide as he watched the ball hit the boy’s arm.

The boy froze and looked around frantically, a box was clutched to his chest in a market bag, at least part of the mystery was solved. “Throw one back!” called Severus, “I’m sure he would love assistance destroying his robes even more!” Lucius gaped at the man who was grinning from ear to ear, “You!” shouted Lucius as he launched himself at Severus and teasingly punched the man. The figure stood frighteningly still and Severus’ expression changed from light to dark as he gently pushed Lucius away and began to walk toward the child. Something was very wrong, he just didn’t know what.

~~WL~~

Harry’s eyes widened as the two figures came into view, both of them were in stunning long robes, they looked like carolers from the Victorian Era. The taller of the two was in all black, his robes billowing behind him as though he were floating. He had shoulder length black hair which framed his face and had a slight wave to it, his nose was rather large and crooked, it looked as though he had broken it as a child. He had a pair of dark black eyes which seemed to see through Harry, and stood out greatly against his sallow skin. The man who stood beside him had long platinum blond hair and cool grey eyes, his features were angular and reminded Harry of a Greek statue. He was clutching a cane in one of his hands and stood rather proud, his robes were covered in silver accents and were an emerald green.

“Are you alright?” asked the dark haired man, his deep voice was soft yet seemed to echo. Harry stared at the man, he knew what he wanted to say, however he also knew he would get severely punished if he did. “I’m fine,” he replied softly and looked at the two. Lucius looked at Harry critically, “Why are you out here?” he asked. His grip on the box of crackers increased as he formulated an answer in his head, “Aunt Petunia ran out of crackers for our party,” he said simply as he looked up at the two men. The man with black eyes looked at him skeptically, yet remained silent. Harry had a feeling the man knew that he wasn’t saying everything. He hummed and looked at the pair, “I have to go, Happy Christmas,” he said brightly as he turned to leave. “Wait,” commanded the darker of the pair.

He slowly knelt before Harry and whispered, “Are you happy?” those three words were laced with concern, an emotion which Harry rarely received. He nodded meekly, he had to get away, his Aunt and Uncle would kill him if he wasn’t back soon. “Look at me.” They were filled with sadness and pain, so much that Harry couldn’t resist looking into a pair of solemn onyx eyes. There was snow clinging to the man’s black hair and robe. “I’m Severus and this is Lucius, I’m a Professor at a school, you can talk to me,” he pried. The blond man looked slightly shocked by this action, which told Harry that this was very important, “I have to get home,” he replied, he couldn’t tell a stranger of the inevitable beating which would probably occur, or that fact that he was in pain and dizzy both from blood loss and lack of food.

Severus sighed and picked up a handful of snow. Harry half expected the man to throw it in his face and laugh at him for falling for his tricks of being nice. The man looked around quickly before pulling out a stick and pointing it at the snow; he mumbled a word and a beautiful green light jetted out of the tip of the man’s black stick. The green light was warm and curled around the snow folding it and shaping it.

Harry’s eyes widened as he looked at the product of this green light. Sitting in the palm of Severus’ hand was a glass like lily, it glistened in the light and made Harry smile. Severus held the lily out to the boy, “Take it with you, it will never melt,” Severus said softly as he looked into Harry’s eyes. Harry tentatively touched the smooth and warm petals of the flower, they were hard yet beautiful. He smiled gently before picking it up to examine it. “Why?” asked Harry, he looked at Severus and Lucius in confusion. “Because it’s the holidays, and you need a gift don’t you?” asked Lucius softly while Severus rose from the ground. Harry looked at the flower in his hand and realized that he had to hide it, or Petunia would believe he stole it. “Thank you,” he whispered as he admired the flower. “How did you do that?” asked Harry curiously. Lucius shot an amused look at Severus who sighed and looked at the boy, “Magic,” was his reply. Harry was about to ask another question when he noticed a car heading toward the house. His heart practically stopped, “I have to go now,” he said in a panic as he looked at the flower. “Thank you,” he said again before dashing down the street toward the placed he would never call home. Leaving behind him two strangers who didn’t seem to scare him. It was odd though, they had come with the snow, then again he had been hoping the snow would come.

Harry rounded the corner and slipped into the backyard, there were several inches of snow on the ground now which made running a little more of a challenge. He sighed as he opened the door of the kitchen and placed the crackers on the counter as well as the receipts and the money. His mind was still filled with the thoughts of the two men who had come with the snow.


	3. A Glass Lily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucius and Severus have arrived and naturally the blond is praying for snow, and decides a snowball fight is the best use of time. Only to hit a young boy clutching a box of crackers. Severus calls the child over after a chilling thought settles in his stomach and despite his hopes, the child is just who he prayed he wasn't. Standing in the snow, with the visitors the young boy receives his first gift. Out of the harsh cold grips of winter a glass lily appears, sculpted out of ice and preserved in enchantments by the man who was assumed incapable of love. 
> 
> Harry returns to the house with the gift only to come face to face with his worst nightmare, . After being forced into the cupboard he falls asleep only to meet a tall man with dark hair, romanesque features and striking red eyes, standing in London before a choir in his dream. Only it isn't a dream, and before he can understand it, he's pulled out by an angry Vernon and oddly creative Dudley. To experience the worst pain imaginable.
> 
> Will the holidays be kind to him? Or is his world going to end in pain as it always did.

Harry managed to slip into the kitchen of his home unnoticed by the Dursleys, his hands had been trembling after placing the box on the counter, he was lucky that the car which had passed him wasn’t the Mason’s, extraordinarily lucky. Petunia walked into the kitchen, she was wearing a different dress and put on the pearls which Vernon had purchased for her. She sneered at Harry before looking at the piece of the cake which were yet to be assembled. “I want the cake assembled and frosted, after that you will go to your cupboard,” she stated harshly, her eyes were like knives as they sliced through him. Harry nodded meekly before grabbing his step stool and placing it in front of the counter, he was short and had a hard time reaching the counters, especially since his Aunt wanted the cake assembled on the crystal bottom of the cake dome. Once the pine wooden stool was placed before the counter Harry washed his hands in the sink and moved to assembling the Orange Spice cake. He had made the batter earlier and baked the pans, all Petunia had done was pulled them out and left he pans on the cold kitchen counter. Luckily the bases hadn’t been stuck inside them, in reality Harry ensured that they wouldn’t, he had taken the time to line the pans with parchment that way they would simply pop out of place.

 

He stepped onto the stool after drying his hands on a floral dish towel and set to work. Petunia had taught him how to bake when he was seven and had been icing cakes since he was six. It didn’t take long for him to get better at making them than her. Harry’s small hands gently pulled the two large thick disk like orange cakes from the pans and he hummed with irritation, there was a bulge in the center of the two. Petunia wouldn’t be happy if it didn’t look as though it had been brought out of a bakery earlier. Harry reached over for a knife and pulled it from the knife block, he selected a long serrated blade and swiftly sliced the excess off of the first piece to make a smooth and even top. A shiver ran down his spine and he felt as though he were being watched, but it wasn’t the same as when Vernon had watched him. This surge of sadness and utter curiosity was forging, it showed concern. Harry placed the black samurai handled knife on the counter and looked around curiously for a moment, he even glanced out the window which was before him since he was icing the cake by the window. He shook his head and sighed, no one wanted him, so watching him wouldn’t make sense, or at least that was he thought. The only time the Dursleys looked his way was to ensure that he was doing his chores and couldn’t be seen by anyone.

 

Small hands wrapped around the knife again, Petunia loved cooking shows, which Harry didn’t mind oddly he learned a lot from them, including how to hold a knife. His hands may have been small to handle such a large blade, but he knew how. The second base was leveled and Harry made quick work of stepping off the stool to retrieve the icings he had made from scratch. He had made a rather sweet chocolate icing to cover the cake and then both orange and green icing for the roses to go on the cake. Soon enough, the young boy was lost in the art of decorating the cake. Beautiful blooming and budded roses were squeezed onto the cake with ease, they were vibrant against the light brown icing and only seemed to stand out more when he added the green leaves. He finished by adding a beautiful curl for a vine and placed the heavy large glass dome over the cake. It was spotless and he could see his reflection in it, which made him cringe. He was thinner than he remembers and looked sickly, he closed his eyes before stepping away from the counter, he couldn’t stand to look at his gaunt face much longer, it only made the nightmare which he called his life more real.

 

“Finished?” spat Petunia, which nearly made Harry jump. The boy looked at the tile floor with great interest as he nodded, “Orange?” she hissed. Harry immediately tensed, he had forgotten his aunt would never use such a masculine and bright color, “How putrid,” she sneered, her nose wrinkled as she spoke. Harry closed his eyes as he waited to be struck, “We’ll just have to cope,” she stated before grabbing Harry harshly by the back of his shirt and dragging him to his cupboard. Oddly Harry didn’t hate this; it meant he would be away from Vernon, which was actually far more appealing than even sampling the cake he had made. Before the child even realized it he was being shoved through the door and he heard the cupboard door slam closed before the locks were put in place. “Don’t you dare make a sound,” Petunia hissed through the door before slamming the vent closed and walking briskly toward the door.

 

Harry smiled as he pulled out a candle and matches, after a moment he lit the tape and fished the beautiful gift from his pocket. It glistened in the light as his fingers ran over its smooth surface, it was still cool in his fingers. He could remember the light which had surrounded the snow as a beautiful flower took shape, oddly it wasn’t only that the boy remembered, but the elegant fingers of the man who had given him the gift. They were long and pale, the only thing which separated them from being as white as the snow was the slight tinge of pink they had taken from being out in the cold. They looked harsh and yet gentle, he could still remember the look in the man’s eyes, he didn’t recognize it. Yet he liked it, it made him feel warm even in the cold. He smiled sadly and thought of how he would never see them again, after all he was quite sure that they would have vanished by now, or melt away with the snow.

 

~~WL~~

 

Severus looked at Lucius, he knew something wasn’t right, no child would run that quickly when they saw a car or look that pale. There were children who were fickle eaters and then there were the ones who were starved, Severus was certain Potter was starved. “Come on, I don’t like the feeling of this,” Severus said smoothly before darting after the boy, the entire time he was praying he was wrong. For once in his life he was praying that he was wrong, he shook his head and whispered, “No, twice.” He couldn’t let Lily’s child suffer, no child deserved to be treated in such a way. Lucius was following behind him and oddly keeping up, then again the aristocrat seemed as startled as he was at the sight of the boy. Lucius looked as though he wanted to scoop Harry up in his arms and hold the boy tightly, like he did Draco when he was hurt.

 

The dower man couldn’t disagree with his friend, he wanted to do the very same as he looked into those green eyes, one which looked tired and nearly dead. It wasn’t until he did magic that the boy seemed to come back to life, if only briefly. It was at that moment Severus understood what Tom had said, now he understood, something was very wrong with this situation. His chest was heaving as he continued to run in hopes of catching the boy, before he walked back into that house. Only to find himself staring at the child walking through the back door of the house and into the kitchen, Lucius was standing doubled over beside him panting. “Which of us played Quidditch again?” asked the blonde as he attempted to catch his breath. Usually Severus would have reveled in this moment, but he couldn’t seem to stop watching the window of the kitchen. With a simple wave of his wand he disillusioned them and stood there. He was rooted in place as he watched the boy tap two cake bases free of parchment lined pans.

 

At a glanced he looked as though he were simply going to assist his Aunt, it wasn’t until Harry had a knife in his hand that Severus realized what the boy was doing, he was assembling a cake. His lips pressed into a hard line as he watched the boy work, “What is he doing?” asked Lucius his gray eyes were narrowed with curiosity as he attempted to understand what the boy was doing. Severus didn’t reply as he watched the boy take a butter knife and work the frosting in the bowl before using a white pastry spatula and putting the chocolate between the two bases. Before Lucius realized it his question was answered as the boy in question finished the dark layer around the two orange cakes and moved to decorating, from what Severus could tell his hands were rather steady and from a distance the roses looked perfect. “They’re making him do the job of a House Elf?” asked Lucius in confusion, “I thought Potter was spoiled, at least that’s how Albus painted it to be,” he commented.

 

Severus’ fists were clenched at his sides as he watched Petunia grab Harry forcefully and walk out of the kitchen. He looked at Lucius and hummed, “We will have to wait for him to come back in view.”

 

~~WL~~

 

What felt like forever was simply hours as the chatter which emanated from the kitchen filled the house. Laughter in reply to jokes, which had been told rang in Harry’s ears. They sounded like the perfect normal family, he had long since extinguished the candle and now sat listening, waiting for the Masons to leave. Vernon was going to receive a promotion soon enough, and Harry knew that the man wanted everything to seem perfect, even if it was a total lie. He hummed as he leaned his head against the wall of the cupboard. His eyes fluttered closed after a moment, everything was sore and he was exhausted. He had cleaned the house spotless, decorated the tree, wrapped gifts, and cooked, he was quite frankly exhausted. Before he realized it his body felt heavy and his mind seemed to drift.

 

The sound of voices continued to hum in his ears, they were light, merry and sweet. At first he thought it was the people outside his cupboard. Yet when he opened his eyes he wasn’t even there. Before he realized it he was somehow standing in London standing before a beautiful children’s choir. They were dressed in warm reds and greens, their voices carried through the cold air and Harry’s eyes widened. He had never been to London even during Christmas, he looked around quickly at the trees and lights which were glimmering in the night. His eyes fell on parents as they held their children close, protecting them from the world and the boy who was in the cupboard felt a pang of jealousy. Their cheeks were bright red from the cold and they could see their breathes in the air. One figure stood out in particular, standing in a beautiful black suit with a red tie and a long robe which was thick and lined with fur. Harry stared at long white fingers which reminded him of Severus’ but this man was different. His hair was chocolate brown and slightly ruffled. He had a pair of striking red eyes, they made him seem warm and different, this man didn’t terrify Harry, he actually felt safe. The young raven haired boy looked up at the man’s soft and noble features, he looked like one of the men that he often caught Petunia gaping at. He had broad shoulders and stood rather tall, his posture was perfect and small smile curved his lips. His face was tinted a light pink due to the cold and he looked even more regal. After a moment Harry turned his attention to the children who were singing, they sounded wonderful as they sang of Christmas arriving in London. “Beautiful,” whispered Harry, he couldn’t help it.

 

The man stiffened and his eyes widened as he looked down at Harry. His eyes were filled with confusion, “How did you get here?” he asked slowly. Harry felt even more confused as the man addressed him, “It’s a dream, that’s how,” replied Harry slowly. He had no idea what the man was going on about, there was no way for him to leave his cupboard, he was locked inside of it. “No Harry, how did you get in my head?” he asked slowly as he knelt on the pavement before the child and touched the boy’s face. Harry’s eyes widened, “Don’t be silly, you’re a character in a dream you’re not real,” he reasoned. The man smiled sadly and shook his head before touching the side of Harry’s face, his hands were a little cold, but gentle and soothing. “No Harry, you aren’t. I’m in London,” he explained. Harry tipped his head to the side and looked at the man in his dream and shook his head, “Yes we are, and it’s my dream,” he reasoned. This made the man look sad as he ran his fingers through Harry’s hair.

 

“Harry where are you?” asked the man gently, his red eyes were filled with curiosity and oddly a tenderness Harry didn’t know of. “In my cupboard, where I always am when I sleep,” he replied simply, it was odd to him that his own dream didn’t recognize this. The man’s eyes widened as he gripped the boy’s shoulders, “You’re where?” he asked in a panic, his voice was louder and he looked terrified. “My cupboard,” replied Harry with a shrug. The man paled and was about to say something when Harry was quite literally dragged from his dream.

 

A large hand had wrapped around his ankle and the boy stared at it, “Uncle,” he whispered in fear. “I called you several times freak, you were late getting back and I had to keep the Masons away long enough for you to finish the cake,” he hissed. Emerald green eyes widened in terror as his uncle dragged him from inside the cupboard, Dudley stood before them and grinned darkly. “You’re gonna get it, Freak,” stated the small whale. Petunia was sitting in the living room paying no attention to what was happening in the hallway and quite honestly didn’t care. Harry eyed the pair and had a feeling this beating might be his last. “I-I’m s-sorry,” Harry stammered as he attempted to pull away from his uncle’s massive hands. He had to get away, this was turning for the worst, and yet he couldn’t his uncles hands were like vices, they kept him in place. Before he even realized it he was being slammed into a wall, his head met the plaster with a horrifying crack and pain shot through him. He grit his teeth, knowing that if he cried out it would only be worse. Harry felt a foot make contact with his ribs, his body immediately attempted to curl into a ball. Soon enough kicks were delivered hard, fast and relentlessly to the boy who was now curled up on the floor, praying for a way to escape. “You disgusting freak, you could have cost me my promotion,” Vernon panted as he delivered a harsh kick to the boy’s side before slamming his foot down on the boy’s leg. Harry cried out in agony as he felt the man’s full weight on his leg, and the snap which followed.

 

Tears were falling from his face as he felt something cold and sharp pressed against his neck. “Don’t scream,” Dudley said darkly as he cut Harry’s large shirt away with the knife. Harry’s eyes widened as he attempted to get away only for his uncle to pin him to the floor, his massive body crushing Harry’s pelvis into the carpet of the hallway, “Oh no you don’t,” spat Vernon, there was even more anger and hatred in his voice than before, “We are going to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he stated. Harry’s eyes widened as he watched his uncle drag the knife across his chest, it was covered in scars from the time Vernon had thrown a pan of hot bacon grease at the boy. Harry bit his lower lip as he felt the cold and merciless blade pierce his skin. He could hear the heavy footsteps of his cousin vanish, leaving him with the boy’s father. Each cut was deeper than the last and he wanted desperately to scream and cry. There was a breath and he could hear the harsh pants of Dudley when he returned, “Us this father,” the boy said proudly. Harry opened his eyes and stared at the canister of salt, he didn’t think there was anything that could make this worse, and yet it did. Vernon grabbed the container and without warning dumped it on Harry’s stomach he screamed and writhed in agony, he didn’t care anymore. His stomach felt as though it were on fire.

 

 _‘Kill me, please,’_ where the only words he could think, _‘just kill me.’_ He could hear his uncle’s merriment before he felt a large hand clasp around his throat. _‘Why?’_ asked another voice, this one wasn’t Harry’s it sounded like the man’s from his dream. Harry felt the large hand on his throat apply more pressure, his head felt light from the lack of air and the blood now seeping out of his body, _‘Hurts, please just end it,’_ the child begged. His body felt heavy and he couldn’t hear anything going on around him, _‘Harry?’_ the voice asked, yet he couldn’t answer he was slowly slipping away. Perhaps he would find peace, _‘Harry!’_ it shouted demandingly. He could tell it was worried, absently Harry thought it was nice that his conscience seemed to care what was happening. _‘I just want it to end,’_ he whispered before slowly allowing his grasp to slip. Before he plunged into nothingness he heard the kind voice scream in agony, _‘HARRY!’_

 

~~WL~~

 

Severus charged at the house only to hit the Wards when he heard a blood-chilling scream. His eyes widened as he began to pound on the wards, Lucius was with him casting every spell they knew, at them in hopes that one of them would shatter them and allow them inside. Nothing was working, he couldn’t fail Lily, not a second time. He continued flinging various hexes at the Wards until a beautiful silver Patronus slithered toward him across the sky, a basilisk. Severus froze and stared at the ghost-like snake as it stopped before him. “They’re trying to kill him. Get him out of there! Save Him!” the snake pleaded in Tom’s voice. The voice trembled and Severus could tell that the Dark Lord was in agony which meant the boy was in grave danger. The Potion’s Master took several steps back and was about to deliver a massive Bombarda when the back door opened. He kept his black ebony wand raised as he watched a fat muggle carry a small bundle out the door, it was wrapped in a red blanket. The muggle himself reminded Severus of a walrus, he was covered in hair and extraordinarily fat, in many ways he was shocked that the man could even walk through the house without falling through the floor.  The muggle grunted as he dropped the bundle on the bed of ice-cold snow, “Freak,” he spat.

 

Severus felt a shiver run through him at the word, “No,” he whispered as he watched the massive whale of a man go back into the kitchen and slice himself a large piece of cake before leaving Severus’ view. He was about to blast the wards when he watched them flicker, his eyes widened as they fell like a ton of bricks. “No,” he whispered in agony as he leapt over the fence and landed in the deep snow, usually he would have cursed at how deep it was, but he ignored it. He had to reach the bundle which now lay out in the snow. The potions master halted before the bundle and realized that the blanket wasn’t always red, but it had been white. Onyx black eyes winded as he fell to his knees and slowly pulled the damp blanket from what he feared was a child. His hands felt the stickiness of blood as he pulled the coarse sheet away.

 

His mask shattered as he looked at the pale and nearly lifeless boy before him. He was skinnier than he realized, his face looked as though it were finally peaceful despite the ribbons of blood pouring from his head, over the scare and the side of his face. “Harry,” cried Severus as he quickly placed his fingers on the boy’s neck, only to see a large purpled hand shaped bruise forming. His eyes narrowed as he gently looked for the dim rhythm that told him a soul still inhabited the boy. That some how through this mess the boy had lived, his head hung and he closed his eyes, silently begging for the boy to live. Praying that he hadn’t left the world yet, that someone in heaven would hear him, he would even settle for a demon if he had to. His eyes snapped open when he felt it, it was faint but there, that sacred rhythm. “I don’t care what your headmaster thinks, I'm killing the muggles," hissed Lucius.

 

 

Servers was quick to start tending to the boy. There was no way that he would be able to move him if he didn't stabilize him. His mind was dealing as he reaching into his robes and pulled three Blood Replenishers, at this moment he was very happy he had made a fresh batch. "Luce I need you here, the muggles may come out," Severus stated sternly. He didn't need Lucius to enter Death Eater mode, it would only attract the Ministry and Dumbledore the last person Severus wanted to see. The blonde wizard paused and looked down at the boy who was unconscious, “Fine,” he hissed. Severus nodded as he continued attempting to get enough of the bleeding to stop to move him. “He won’t survive aparating, we will have to use the portkey to get to the mansion,” Severus stated. Lucius nodded as he knelt in the snow and pulled out a skeleton key, it was large and dark black, the Malfoy crest was on the top of it. “What about-” before Lucius could ask the massive muggle stepped out of the house. “Who the hell are you?” he spat. Lucius spared no time and pointed his wand at the offensive muggle. “Sev, I really want to kill him,” Lucius stated angrily.

 

“You, how the hell did you get in my yard,” spat the walrus of a man. Severus tuned him out as he closed his eyes and whispered, “Expecto Patronum.” His silver mist like doe appeared and listened as Severus whispered, “Tom, prepare the manor, the boy may not make it,” before sending the doe away. “I should kill you, you disgusting muggle,” spat Lucius with venom, Severus knew that there were several ways to irritated the Malfoy patriarch, and a muggle abusing a wizard was definitely on the list. “How dare you lay a hand on a wizard,” he shouted, his wand was pointed between the man’s eyes. Severus continued to do everything he could, “Luce, he’s fading, we have to go,” he stated. Lucius snarled before flicking his wand and hitting the muggle with a mild slicing hex, “We’ll be back for you,” he stated darkly before kneeling in the snow beside Severus and holding the key, Severus took one of the boy’s hands and wrapped it around the key as well as holding the boy himself. Lucius wrapped an arm around the pair as well and with a crack they were gone.

 

~~WL~~

 

Tom stared in shock as he felt his heart pound, the boy had managed to get into his mind and looked as though he were not even five. He felt a pain shoot through his chest, it was his fault the boy looked the way he did and what was even more startling was that the boy slept in a cupboard. The choir which he had been listening to had long left and he was left standing in an empty street. His red eyes were filled with fear as he heard the silence in the back of his mind, he knew that he and the boy were connected, but the extent of the connection was what startled him. He had heard everyone of the boy’s pleas, and every fiber of his being was screaming to run to the child, even though he didn’t know what the boy was. Tom didn’t have any fond memories of Christmas, he hated the  holiday, it was a reminder of everyone else’s happiness. Even now, he would lose something, the boy he could hear screaming in fear every night and every beating. A little ten year old boy, who he had made an orphan because of his own lust for power, and the blindness to the powers of the one manipulator who even he wasn’t able to compete with.

 

He stared at the spot where the choir had been and frantically paced, he had to get to the boy, he was frightened that both Severus and Lucius were too late. Before he could say a word he looked in the sky and stared at a silver mist like doe. His eyes widened at the sight, it was Severus’ patronus. He held his hand out to the creature as he ran toward him, the spirit like creature halted before him, “Tom, prepare the manor, the boy may not make it,” rasped the frantic voice of Severus. Tom’s red eyes widened as he realized that he would lose the boy before he even understood the many mysteries the boy presented. He watched the doe dissolve into the air and dashed down the street, frantically looking for an ally to aparate from. His eyes were darting about and his heart was pounding in his chest as he looked for the one place he could use. His footsteps echoed in his ears and his breath grew ragged as the thought of the boy coming to him broken and dead assaulted him. He slid into an alley and looked around quickly before spinning on his heel to return to the manor.

 

He felt a familiar tug at his navel and the sensation of being squeezed through a tube, he may have disliked the form of transportation but he had to make sure the boy lived. Contrary to popular belief Tom did have a heart, even if it was as he believed to be several sizes too small. He landed in the parlor before both Narcissa and Draco. His chest was still heaving as he looked at them, “Have they come back?” he asked swiftly, not caring that his fear could be heard in his voice. The beautiful tall lady of the house was standing and her son was at her side staring in shock at his disheveled appearance. “Tom?” she asked with a hint of panic, if he was afraid she knew to be as well. It had to be for him to show such emotions, Tom was after all a Slytherin. “The boy, he’s injured,” Tom said quickly as he looked into the stern yet calm eyes of Lady Malfoy. Her black and blonde hair flowed down her shoulders and behind her, “What?” she asked quickly before looking at Draco, the young boy could sense the fear in the room, yet remained quiet.

 

“How?” she asked, “Was there a fight between us and the Order of the Phoenix?” Tom shook his head, “I don’t know,” he whispered. This wasn’t true, he did know, he could remember the boy’s pleas and feel his panic. In truth he had slipped into the boy’s mind and saw the entire beating, it churned his stomach, but he didn’t want to explain it to Narcissa, now wasn’t the time. “They are coming here?” she asked in a more professional tone. Tom nodded, and looked at Draco, “He shouldn’t be here when they arrive,” Tome began only to be interrupted by a crack in the same room. He turned around swiftly and stared at the pair who were kneeling on the floor. His eyes immediately fell on the bundle the two men were holding, it was wrapped in a red blanket and dripping on the floor, a red pool began to form. Severus looked up, his eyes were filled with sadness and fear, “Help us,” he rasped, the man was breaking and the young Dark Lord stared at the bundle before him.

 

Laying on the floor of the parlor of Malfoy Manor was a beaten and very broken little boy who was skin and bones with curly raven black hair and small features. He was smaller than he should have been and before the man realized it, Tom was on the floor with them attempting to figure out where the blood was coming from. Narcissa gasped and was about to send Draco away, only for the young blonde to dash out of the room. Tom figured the boy was scared and noticed out of the corner of his eye Narcissa transforming a sofa into a bed for the boy. Severus gently picked the small child up and placed him on the white sheets of the bed. It wasn’t until then that Tom really looked at the boy, “Is that?” Narcissa questioned. Tom ignored her as he slowly slipped his fingers under the fringe of Harry’s bangs and lifted them to see a lightning bolt shaped scar on his head. He closed his eyes sadly for a moment, “Yes,” he whispered.

 

Narcissa nodded and Tom knew it was time to let her work, she was about to cast a complex diagnostic when Draco returned, he was holding Severus’ black bag and a bowl of water with towels. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said simply as he handed Tom the bowl and Severus his bag. Oddly this made Tom smile at the young boy, perhaps there was hope, even if it was a sliver. A sliver of hope, was just enough to keep his mind from plunging into the depths of despair. He squared his shoulders and looked at the boy, “Narcissa, what are his injuries?” asked Tom, panicking would get him no where. She looked at the list which was now on the floor at her feet, he noticed tears slip from her eyes, “Merlin, he should be dead, he- how?” she asked as she shoved the sheet at Severus who was holding his hand out for it. “The most immediate injuries are a collapsed lung, broken ribs, internal hemorrhaging, a massive concussion and he has high levels of toxins in his blood,” Severus read before picking up his wand. “We need to deal with the lung and hemorrhaging first,” he stated simply.

 

Tom nodded, he had a proficient amount of skill when it came to healing, but nothing compared to Severus and Narcissa. Severus had taken classes when he decided to become a potion’s master on not only herbology but also healing arts. Since a great deal of healing dealt with potions he took the classes, they also helped in desperate situations with a classroom filled with up to twenty ‘dunderheads,’ as he called them. Narcissa on the other hand worked as a private nurse for pureblood families, she had a great deal of experience healing wounds caused by dark magic and even more removing it’s traces. He watched as Severus began to work on the boy’s lung, his movements were precise and not a second was wasted to even out the boy’s rasping breaths. “Draco can you clean his face?” asked Narcissa. Draco nodded and dipped the cloth into warm water and began to wipe the blood away. His hands trembled slightly, yet he maintained a serious expression.

 

There was a flutter of wings and the sound of parchment falling to the floor. Tom looked over to see Lucius lazily summon it to his hand and examine it. “It’s from the ministry,” he stated as he popped the seal on the scroll and unrolled it. His eyes moved swiftly over the page and he smiled crookedly at the page. “It would appear that Fudge has learned of the boy’s disappearance as well as Dumbledore. There is quite a stir occurring in the ministry and panic has begun to spread, I’m going to see what will come out of this. Tom what do you want done?” asked the blonde with an arched brow. Tom hummed to himself before smiling a little, he honestly thought it would be fun to watch the Minister of Magic and Dumbledore panic for a bit. “Nothing. Go to work, and listen, say nothing of the boy or where he is. I think our beloved headmaster should brew for a bit before we tell him,” replied Tom. The truth was he wanted to get to know Harry and he couldn’t do that without the boy there. Lucius nodded and turned quickly to leave for the Ministry, “He’s still losing a lot of blood,” said Narcissa after she had stopped the internal bleeding. They were about to remove the boy’s clothing when Tom remembered what he witnessed, “Stop!” he shouted quickly, there was ice in his voice due to his anger. Severus and Narcissa looked at him in confusion.

 

“Draco, why don’t you assist an elf in getting the room prepared for our guest,” Tom suggested. Draco looked confused, his grey orbs stared at Tom as though he were insane, he understood that the boy knew Harry had to be alive to inhabit one of the rooms but he couldn’t let a child see the damage this one had. Narcissa seemed to understand instantly, “Draco, see that Dobby sets up a sufficient room,” she said swiftly. Draco looked at his mother before nodding and leaving the room silently. With a flick of Tom’s yew wand the doors were closed and locked. “Why did we send my son away?” she asked once the boy was gone. Tom walked over to the bed and placed a hand on the boy’s chest, it rose and fell softly and he whispered, “I’m sorry.” He slowly took out a dagger, Narcissa’s eyes widened and she was about to shout when she noticed he was cutting the boy’s rags away. Blood clung to his clothing and the man took his time removing it gently, his hands became slick and crusted with the precious red liquid that was seeping from the action. He looked at his hands, the sight of blood on them made his stomach twist, he was responsible for this in a way. Tom continued to pull the shirt away and then threw it into the fire place. He heard a gasp from Narcissa, he looked over to see Severus’ mask shatter as he looked at the boy wide eyed in shock, wondering just what kind of monster it took to do this to a child. Harry’s chest was covered in scars, bruises and a vivid burn from what looked like grease. The word Freak had been carved into his stomach, it was more than enough to make someone wrench, on top of the fact that every single rib was visible, the boy had so little muscle it was frightening. “Who could do this to a child?” she asked as Tom began to remove the boy’s pants and underwear, his legs looked just as bad as the rest of him, and he could only imagine what the boy’s back looked like.

 

“A monster,” replied Tom, the abuse Harry endured was worse than his own, scars of various ages were apparent, some were faded white lines, while others were swollen and infected. “The monsters he was placed with,” Tom whispered as he gently touched the top of the boy’s head. It was taking everything he had to not get Severus to take him to the muggles who hurt him and kill them himself. He was certain they wouldn’t be missed. Narcissa’s hand was over her mouth and he watched as Severus took over, he could tell she couldn’t handle this, “He’s a boy,” she stammered, “He’s Draco’s age.” Severus was silent as he opened a pair of tins and handed one to Tom. The cream smelt of peppermint, lemons, and a little lavender. Despite the scent he knew that it was quick acting and was used on the cuts which marred the child’s skin, it had  and coagulative properties as well as the ability to make scars nearly vanish. Tom slipped his fingers into the cream and began to massage a lavish amount on the word which had been carved into his skin after having cleaned it with the rag and water. He could see white crystals still pressed in it. “What are those crystals?” asked Narcissa as she dipped her fingers in the same tin that Tom held out to her. “Salt,” replied Tom before Severus could even venture to guess. They had quite literally rubbed salt in the wound, which would explain the amount of pain he felt on his end.

 

 Silence filled the room as they continued to apply salves to the boy to heal him, Severus had taken the bruise salve and was applying it generously to the boy’s ribs. Tom hissed when he felt a wave of pain through his chest, his fingers loosened from around the tin and he clutched his ribcage. “Sev, pain reliever and dreamless sleep,” the man commanded through gritted teeth, it was unbearable. The Potion’s Master was quick to do as commanded, he watched as the man gently tipped Harry’s head back and poured the pain relieve down his throat, his fingers gently massage the boy’s throat as he went to facilitate swallowing. Once the first was down he did the same to the second potion, no one questioned why Tom had commanded it, but he had a feeling it would come soon enough.

 

They had finished with the front of the boy and Severus levitated him in the air before gently turning him over and staring at the boy’s back. The gruesome crossing of long angry scars covered his back, several were infected and they extended from his shoulder to hips. Tom stared at them for a moment, he could tell that his uncle used both the buckle and the leather of the belt and it seemed to vary based on his mood. Silently he began to plan just how he would kill and torture the muggles who had done this to the boy. A crucio was far too good for the pain they had inflicted on the boy, he was going to inflict pain but disfigure at the same time, which meant a great deal of fun with hexes. He shook his head to wave those ideas away and began to gently clean the boy’s wounds on his back, “He’s going to need antibiotics,” commented Severus as he gently began resetting the boy’s fingers, “I’m also going to have to re-break bones, but we need to seal the wounds up first,” Severus stated. Narcissa simply nodded. All Tom knew was that Harry was in for a very long night and so was Tom.

 

He paused and looked at the determined look on Severus’ face as he continued setting bones and rubbing salve on the boy’s body. He hissed with sadness as he found new injuries and went to fixing them. He looked at Harry as though he were a lost son, Tom paused and realized that in many ways this was the son that Severus would never have, Lily’s son. Red eyes shifted to Narcissa, the witch had put up her hair in a messy bun somewhere along the line, her beautiful robe was gone and the sleeves of her dress shirt were rolled up to her elbows, a sad but loving expression was on her face as she continued to heal the boy. Her hands were tender and soft as she did so, he could tell that even though she were uncomfortable she would do anything in her power to heal the broken boy. He felt slightly envious of Harry and Draco in a way, there had been no one at the orphanage to patch him up. He was alone, but not anymore.

 

It wasn’t until then that he realized not a single member of the house would get sleep that night, they would all be waiting for Harry to open his eyes and wouldn’t leave the boy’s side until he did.

 


	4. Silent Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All is quiet as Christmas comes, it has arrived and slipped through the Malfoy Estate without even a whisper. Instead they all wait patiently for the young guest to awaken, in hopes that everything they fear isn't as bad as it seems. After the Malfoy family had sent a cryptic message, Abraxas has decided to investigate only to learn the horrendous treatment of a an innocent child. At first he disagrees with Harry's placement until he enters the guest room to see the familiar form of Tom Riddle and a child with black hair that's far too small for his age. Before he can get a closer look Tom has stopped him and admitted Harry's life may have been worse than his own at that age.
> 
> The group decides to give him his first true Christmas.

The air was nippy as the night and day rolled by, the snow was melting and the house was silent. It made an unusual sight to not see the inhabitants cheerful and bustling around with gifts. Even though the Malfoys were a reserved family, they were still very warm hearted toward one another and treated each other with affection. The tree glimmered in the darkness, a beacon of hope in a world now dominated by despair and concern. None of them had expected to bring home a battered boy, and no one wanted to revel in happiness until the boy was awake. After Severus had put Harry to bed and Narcissa dressed him in some of Draco’s old Pajamas, Tom hadn’t left the boy’s side. Red eyes watched in the darkness over the small boy, protectively and hoping that somehow he would be forgiven. His fingers slipped into the young boy’s soft and unruly black hair. It was just like all of the other Potter’s hair, a birds nest which was impossible to tame. Yet it was what made them very attractive.

 

Tom crossed his legs and leaned on the arm of the chair, it was still and quiet as he looked at the boy. None of the Malfoys were celebrating, Severus was constantly brewing pain relievers and blood replenishers. The boy had lost so much blood and soon enough he had a nutrient potion added to the boy’s diet. He had never seen the man so determined to right a wrong. He was a different person, yet maintained the same determined habits. Tom’s eyes fell on the lily which was resting on the boy’s nightstand. It was glimmering in the dim light from the moon which hung in the sky. Severus was nervous around him after he had figured out who had given it to the boy. Tom sighed, he knew at that moment who Severus was loyal to, Harry and the memory of Lily. He wasn’t loyal to either side but the boy. Tom smiled softly, “You are so loved Harry,” he whispered as he continued to run his fingers through the boy’s hair. Narcissa had put him to sleep and the boy had yet to rouse. Oblivious to the world around him, Christmas came and went. Yet the manor was at a stand still. No one wanted to open gifts, no one wanted to open bottles of champagne, all they wanted to do was care for the boy.

 

Lucius had been working tirelessly to figure out what to do now, he didn’t want Harry to return to those muggles, but didn’t need the light to know that they had him. Tom wasn’t interested in dealing with Albus, the man had done enough. He had done more than enough by doing nothing. Harry didn’t have to suffer for so long, he shouldn’t have. He didn’t understand why he was upset, he was supposed to hate Harry, to kill the boy and yet he didn’t want to. So much of Harry’s upbringing reminded him of his past, that sad little boy in the corner who was hated, forgotten and hurt. Tom could remember how he was treated even after learning he was a wizard, teased, beaten and starved as though he were an animal, not a boy. He wanted love and received pain instead. Tom felt a pain in his chest as he looked at the slim form in the bed, too thin were the only words which came to mind.

 

The young Dark Lord gently ran his fingers down Harry’s face and traced it, he could feel the boy’s cheek bones through his hollowed cheeks. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered sadly, his fingers paused as they pushed away the boy’s fringe to reveal his scar. That familiar angry lightning bolt, it looked not even hours old, yet it was now ten years old. A decade since he had robbed a boy of his childhood. His long fingers traced the scar slowly and he heard the boy whimper, “Sh Harry, you’re safe and loved,” he whispered before placing a kiss on the scar. The door of the room creaked softly causing Tom to snap to attention and look in the direction of the door. Standing in a pair of green silk pajamas with a plush dragon in his arms and a silk robe around him was a very familiar child. He had blonde hair like his father and a pair of beautiful grey eyes, he was small but beautiful. “Draco, what are you doing awake?” asked Tom softly, it was late and the man was well aware that Christmas Day was arriving soon. “I couldn’t sleep,” he replied, “Neither could Nangini or Shamus,” he replied. Tom was confused for a moment until his familiar slithered in, _‘How is the snakeling?’_ she hissed.

 

Tom smiled as he pat her head, _‘Sleeping, he needs to rest,’_ he replied. Nagini slithered up the bedpost of the four poster and curled up in the blue and green silk sheets, the bed was soft and he watched as she rested her head on the boy’s chest, _‘Careful, he’s fragile,’_ Tom chided. Nagini simply hummed before looking at Tom as though he were daft. Tom then turned his attention to Draco and noticed the large slate colored Irish Wolf Hound at his side, Shamus. Lucius had bought the dog as a puppy for Draco and Tom had the pleasure of watching the pair grow up after he was resurrected. Over time he even had a decent relationship with the massive dog. He usually couldn’t stand dogs, yet Shamus seemed to understand his place, at his Master’s side and protecting the Master’s young. He had earned a great deal of respect from Nagini and Tom as well. “Draco?” he asked again. The young blonde looked at him and hugged the dragon closer to his chest. “It’s alright, Harry’s just sleeping,” Tom said softly as he held a hand out for the boy. Draco smiled anxiously, grey eyes fell on the bed before he entered the room, the dull light from the hallway seemed to sweep into the room in the form of a sliver. He watched as the youngest Malfoy stood before him and then looked at Harry, “Will he wake up soon?” asked Draco softly, there was a hint of curiosity in the boy’s voice, he was timid in private yet boisterous and commanding in public. Draco was like every Malfoy, they hid their emotions behind a mask of indifference and pride.

 

Tom sighed as he placed  hand on the boy’s head, he could remember when Lucius was nervous of allowing Tom near the child. At first Tom was insulted until he remembered how crazed he used to be, then he understood. “He will wake when he is ready,” Tom said softly. He pat Draco’s head before conjuring a plush green armchair for the blonde boy, “Would you like to wait with me?” he asked sweetly. Draco nodded as he curled up in the large chair, Tom then summoned a blanket from the closet and draped it over the boy. Shamus curled up at the boy’s feet and rested his head on his front paws. Everyone was waiting, waiting for their guest to wake.

 

~~WL ~~

 

Every year all of the Malfoys would assemble, yet this year Narcissa had canceled the gathering, saying that they were ill and didn’t wish to spread it to the other members of the family. Everyone accepted this, everyone except Abraxas Malfoy, Lucius’ father. The man disliked the idea of canceling over illness and argued it was actually more important then to have family in the manor when the family was ill. He was wearing his green robe and a black suit, his blonde mustache and side burns were trimmed perfectly and his hair had been tidied. He wasn’t like his son who had long hair and tied it back in Victorian fashion, he preferred the look of the late Victorians. His lips were pursed as he picked up the bag which held a number of gifts for his grand son Draco, as well as Lucius and Narcissa. He had even picked up a gift for Tom and Severus, as much as he disliked the potion’s master, he couldn’t deny Draco’s godfather.

 

He grabbed a handful of floo powder from a silver stand and stepped into the fire before shouting, “Malfoy Manor, England the Main Foyer.” With that he tossed the powder in the hearth and felt himself being pulled through the network, he drew a deep breath as he landed in the fireplace and quickly banished the soot. His eyes scanned the room and stared in confusion at all of the gifts still wrapped under the tree. It was Christmas Day and the sun was up, Draco should have torn into them by now and bragging about them. Yet they were all in tact. Abraxas cast a tempest and sighed, everyone should have been up, it was close to noon. He stepped out of the hearth and looked around in confusion, Narcissa, Lucius, Draco, Severus and even Tom were no where to be seen. He continued through the house with his wand drawn, something was very wrong, it was too quiet, almost somber, it were as though someone had died.

 

He continued through the house and paused outside of the doors of the parlor, he could hear the murmur of voice, “Severus, I’m doing what I can, the Minister is adamant about his placement and Dumbledore is only getting more and more suspicious,” Lucius said after a moment. Abraxas was silent as he listened, usually he would burst in but something told him that he would learn more from simply listening, “Lucius, we can’t send him back, they practically killed him. He’s barely hanging on, he’s a child,” Severus reasoned, his voice was strained and he could hear the anger in it as well as something else, an emotion he didn’t recognize. “Sev, I’m trying, Dumbledore is breathing down my neck the closer I get to the Minister and snoop around events pertaining to Potter,” he said slowly, “It’s not your fault he had us fooled.”

 

There was silence and he listed to a hiss and a loud thump, “It is my fault, I should have taken him with me, I was there first, I should have taken the boy home,” he said with venom. Abraxas’ eyes widened, Potter, as in Harry Potter. The entire Wizarding World was in an uproar over the missing boy savior, and they were discussing him. “Sev,” said Lucius softly, his voice was soothing, like his mother’s. “Lily’s son, I condemned him to hell for ten years because I was angry,” Severus said with anger, now Abraxas understood that emotion, it was self loathing. A powerful emotion, one that he understood too well, “Sev, you were in shock,” Lucius defended. Abraxas looked through the crack between the doors and watched his son place a hand on the dower man’s shoulder, only for it to be shrugged off. “Severus Tobias Snape, you were in shock, and how would you know what Albus would do?” asked the firm yet light voice of Narcissa, Abraxas thought the woman was the perfect fit for his son, she was strong and spoke well.

 

There was silence and he watched the dower man slowly turn around and Abraxas stared in shock. The dark eyes of the Potion’s Master were glistening as tears fell from them, they were slightly swollen and he could see the tracks those shards of the man’s shattered soul made, proof of his pain. “I just thought,” he said stiffly before wincing in pain and closing his eyes. At that moment Abraxas opened the door slowly and entered the parlor. Lucius and Narcissa stared at him with wide eyes before looking at one another. “We canceled the evening, Draco is,” they began. Severus looked up and sneered, “Don’t bother, he heard us,” he replied. Abraxas felt a pull at his mind and realized Severus had just skimmed his thoughts, usually he would berate the man yet this time, he couldn’t bring himself to kick the man when he was already in so much pain. What ever had happened with the boy who lived had affected them all. He looked around the room and noticed two people were missing, Draco and Tom Riddle. “What’s going on here?” asked Abraxas harshly which caused his son to tense.

 

“You might want to sit for this,” Lucius said after a moment before walking to the sideboard and grabbing a bottle of Firewhisky. “You’ll want a drink too,” he stated as he pulled four tumblers and lined them up. Abraxas knew this had to be bad when Lucius was offering him liquor. Lucius didn’t drink and neither did Severus and yet this time he was accepting a glass, Abraxas was no fool, he knew Tobias Snape was a drunkard who abused both Severus and his wife. He took the cool glass of amber liquid in his hand and took a seat in the vacant chair before his son. “Proceed,” he commanded coolly. Lucius drew a deep breath before looking at Severus. His grey eyes searched black ones and Abraxas had a feeling that this was perhaps going to be one of the darkest stories he would hear, “Together,” Lucius said. Severus nodded, his black greasy hair swayed as he did so.

 

“Two days ago Severus was asked by Albus to check on Harry Potter, apparently a woman who was watching the house was concerned. The Headmaster stated that there would be nothing wrong and that we were simply to put the woman’s mind at ease,” Lucius began, already Abraxas had a feeling that this was going to get worse, Albus was always lying about something, he could remember his school days when Albus was only a Professor. The man had spread that Tom was the Dark Lord to come inadvertently and claimed the position of savoir for supposedly defeating Grindelwald, when it was actually a young and desperate Tom Riddle. “Once I learned of this Severus and myself went to see Tom, and ask what he wanted us to do,” Lucius continued and looked at Severus who had taken a swig of Fire Whiskey. Of course they went to Tom Riddle, they were friends and to be honest Tom was always level headed. “Tom asked us to check on the boy, after an unusual incident, he had doubled over in pain and claimed that someone was hurting the boy. He didn’t know how it worked but somehow they were connected, he instructed us if things were too violent to have the boy removed,” Severus had picked up where Lucius left off, he seemed to have gotten himself back together at this point.

 

“We went to Surrey, apparently Albus had placed the boy with muggles, at first he looked like a little boy who was on an errand but thin,” Severus paused as he looked pained into his glass of whiskey, “He was getting crackers when it started snowing. We spoke for a bit, he was very polite but-“ Severus looked pained as he clutched his glass and Abraxas waited quietly, he had a feeling this was hurting Seveurs the most, “it was awkward, since he was too polite. We followed the boy.” The Potion’s Master fell silent as he ran his finger around the rim of the glass. Lucius placed a hand on Severus’ shoulder, “We learned that he was treating like a house elf, we fought against the wards in an attempt to get to the boy, only for them to fall on their own,” Lucius said softly. He tensed as he gripped Severus’ shoulder and looked to his wife, she was pale and looked as though she had seen the unspeakable. “We found him, he,” Lucius paused as he looked for the right word, usually he would yell at him but his stomach was twisting, “he was dying, the muggles beat him.”

 

Abraxas turned pale and placed the tumbler on the table as he attempted to get his anger under control. His hands were clenched, “Muggles harmed a Wizard?” he asked angrily. Children were treasured in the Wizarding world, since a number of purebloods couldn’t even bear children they were treated with love and affection, they were precious and few. He had spanked Lucius when he was a child but never beat him, “They starved him, beat him and treated him as though he were a House Elf, he was ordered to make a cake and even handled knives,” Severus said softly. Abraxas felt his blood boil as he looked at them, they were all nervous, “You didn’t think to alert the authorities!” he shouted furiously. Lucius paled and looked at him, “You think we wouldn’t if we knew it would help! Albus has control of the Wizengamot and is now making Fudge bend to his will!” shouted Lucius as he gestured harshly to his house crest, “I can’t fight back, Albus has his fingers in every pie and made it clear he wouldn’t move the boy, no matter the cost! He was dying, father! I couldn’t just let him bleed out in the snow!” Lucius roared. Abraxas was taken back as he watched his son, “I wanted to save him, he’s a child, he should have never been brought into this war! Children are meant to be loved!” he shouted, his voice was firm and unwavering, Abraxas felt a smile curve his lips his son finally sounded like a Lord. “They are,” replied Abraxas, “Where is the boy?” he asked, “I will decide what to do after seeing him.”

 

Narcissa rose from her seat and placed the tumbler on the table, “I’ll show you, Tom is with him, Draco is in bed,” she explained. He followed her up the stairs, she was quiet and seemed nervous, then again he was the only person Lucius seemed to fear, other than Tom, his friend. He was there the night the man had been brought back and still had a tough time looking at the twenty year old. He continued down the hallway, each portrait bowed as they walked by, always formal and regal, she paused outside the door and stared at it in confusion. “Tom had it closed,” she whispered, “Harry is sleeping, he was very badly injured please don’t wake him.” Abraxas nodded as Narcissa pushed open the thick wooden door which lead to the guest room. His eyes widened as they fell on the sleeping form of his grandson curled up in a plush chair, wrapped in a blanket with Sheamus at his feet and a dragon in his arms. He slowly walked into the room and noticed the form in the bed, it was smaller than Draco, which confused him, Potter’s child should have been the same age. His face was peaceful but he could tell the boy was exhausted, one of the child’s hands was visible and he stared at the scar on the back of it, and his worn fingers. He drew closer to the bed and cautiously sat on the edge, Nagini’s head rested on the boy’s head and it was then he noticed the other small hand was being held by Tom’s. He stared at Riddle for a moment, he hadn’t looked like that since they were in school.

 

He stared at the sight, the man supposedly stole Harry’s childhood and yet here he was holding the boy’s hand. He gently slipped his hand down the bed and gripped the edge of the blanket, “Don’t, you don’t want to see,” said Tom sleepily. His red eyes were filled with sadness and dread, “Why?” asked Abraxas after a moment. Tom looked at the boy in the bed and whispered, “His are worse than mine, by far.” Abraxas shuddered, he had seen what the muggles had done to Tom, to think the boy was worse made him even more upset. “How long has he been asleep?” asked Abraxas as he placed hand on Harry’s head to check his temperature, he didn’t have a fever which was a good thing. “Since his arrival, he was unconscious when we found him, he was in so much pain it was better to keep in asleep,” Tom explained.

 

Abraxas looked at his grandson and then to Tom, “He refused to open his gifts or leave Harry’s side until he was awake,” Tom explained. Clearly Draco liked Harry, even if he had yet to actually meet the boy. Abraxas looked in the doorway to see Narcissa waiting, “I suppose I should leave you two to it, and check on Lucius,” he explained. Tom nodded as he watched Abraxas leave. Something wasn’t right, not only was Harry placed with Muggles but Tom was acting oddly, protective, which was something Tom didn’t do naturally. What ever it was, Tom felt the need to protect the boy. He hummed, usually he would avoid this kind of drama, but something was nagging at him, he didn’t understand how a man who had taken the boy’s parents could sit in a chair and hold that child’s hand. It made no sense.

 

~~ WL ~~

 

There was silence in the house as Tom looked out the window; Dumbledore had done the one thing he hadn’t anticipated. He had enough of the games, the tricks and the lies. He knew something wasn’t right and he had to stop it. The key was in his memory or lack there of, if he could figure out just what happened then he could make a move, there was one thing he had that the Headmaster did not, Harry. He had sat beside the boy’s bed all night, refusing to leave his side, he had to figure it all out, part of him didn’t want to hurt Harry. He closed his eyes for a moment and attempted to recall that Halloween Night, only to be met with the same blank.

 

Tom was skilled at mind magics, and he knew someone had altered his memory, the question was who and why. He looked at Harry and sighed, he had to figure this out, Albus was ahead of him and he didn’t like the idea of a child being brought into the war as a weapon. _‘Master, he smells like you,’_ Nagini hissed. Tom waved his hand lazily as he attempted to think about when Dumbledore had gotten him alone and could even perform the spell when it registered what the serpent had just said. _‘What?’_ he asked as his eyes narrowed at the massive shimmering green snake on the bed. ‘ _He smells like you,’_ she pointed out. Tom looked at Harry in confusion and then the snake, ‘ _You are simply picking up on the fact that I held him for a bit and have been around him,’_ Tom remarked as he leaned back in the chair. The snake shook her head and huffed, _‘You are so difficult, when have I ever lied?’_ she asked with a hint of irritation.

 

Tom groaned and rubbed his temples, ‘Nagini you are a prolific liar,’ he stated bluntly. The snake hissed in a way which was similar to a laugh. _‘You deserve being tricked because sometimes you think you’re so clever, it’s a reminded,’_ she commented. Tom glared at the serpent, _‘We will wake him if we keep this up.’_

 

_‘Too late,’_ came a sleepy hiss.

 

Tom and Nagini paused and looked at the boy who was now opening a pair of tired emerald green eyes. “What did you just say?” asked Tom in shock, he thought he was the only Parselmouth. Harry looked at the stranger with wide eyes and pulled back in fear, “You were in my dream!” he exclaimed. Draco leapt to attention and stared at the boy in the bed, his finger was raised as he pointed at the man. Tom tilted his head to the side, ‘Master he speaks!’ Nagini exclaimed as she wriggled with excitement. _‘Of course I speak.  Now, where am I? This isn’t a dream and why is there a snake in my bed’_ he demanded.

 

Draco’s mouth popped open, “No way, he speaks Parseltongue too?” he asked. Harry stared at Draco and asked, “What? No I speak English.” At this point Severus, Lucius, Narcissa and Abraxas had arrived. “No you were hissing a second ago,” he said simply. Harry paled and stared at Tom, “You, you’re not real,” he stammered. There was silence in the room as Harry pulled away. Tom’s eyes widened as he stared at him, he watched the boy’s chest move rapidly and his eyes shifted. “Who are all of you? Where am I? My uncle will kill me if I’m not back in time to make dinner,” he said quickly. Tom watched the boy scramble off the bed and scoot himself into a corner. “Child relax, we won’t harm you,” said Severus as he slowly approached the child, he held his hands in front himself as a way to show no harm.

 

Harry shook his head and whimpered, “No, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything, don’t hurt me,” he rushed. Tom watched the frightened little boy retreated and press himself into the corner as far as he could. “Please, I’ll be good,” he whimpered as he curled himself into a ball, his knees were drawn into his chest and he hid his head, it was an all too familiar position. Severus kneeled before the child and summoned silently a calming draught, Tom watched as it whizzed through the air to the man’s palm which was behind his back. “Harry,” Severus said simply, “it’s alright.” The room was still as Severus knelt before the child.

 

~~WL~~

Severus stared at the child before him, it took everything he had to not take the child into his arms and stop the pain he saw in Lily's precious green eyes. "Harry, look at me," he whispered softly. Harry shook his head, he was terrified, and there was nothing Severus could do, he had to get the boy to take the calming draught. He held the vial in his hand and looked at the boy, he remembered what it was like to be told by an adult he didn't know that he was safe, when every part of him was screaming to run. "Harry, it's all right," Severus said gently as he placed a hand on the child's head, "Look at me." Harry tensed, and shook his head, clearly afraid that a punishment would follow this action, even though Severus had asked him to.

 

He remembered the first time he was found by an adult, it was Mister Evans who had found him. He was terrified, Tobias had broken his nose, there was blood everywhere and it hurt. Severus had climbed out the window just to get away from the man, only to be found, but a tall and gentle red haired gentleman named Richard Evans, Lily's father. At first Severus was terrified, he had only been hurt by older people. He remembered shirking away from the tall man in fear until a pair of doe like green eyes appeared from behind her father's legs. She had fiery red hair, bright green eyes and a kind smile, his Lily. She had saved him so many times, and he trusted Mister Evans because of her. He looked over his shoulder and pointed to Draco. The boy pointed at his chest only for Severus to nod. The young blonde sought his father's permission only to receive a nod. The young blonde knelt on the floor beside Severus and looked at the trembling boy, "Hi, I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," he said softly with a smile as he held out his hand. Severus smiled a little at Draco's manners even toward the scared boy he was still kind and sweet. Harry lifted his head and looked at Draco nervously and then the boy's out stretched hand. He eyed it for a while, unsure of whether or not he could even touch the boy. Severus shivered internally, of course the boy was terrified. Draco dropped his hand and asked, "What's your name?"

 

Draco naturally knew the boy's name, but Severus had a feeling it was to help the boy calm down, being in a room where everyone knew your name only equated to bad things. Harry looked up and replied, "Harry, Harry Potter," he was timid and frightened, Severus could tell that the boy was going to faint if he didn't calm the child down. Discreetly the man slipped the phial into Draco's hand, Draco would know what it was, he had spent the day with Severus brewing. While Draco couldn't cast a spell or charm there was nothing denying him learning potions. "Nice to meet you," Draco said warmly and smiled, Severus had to hand it to the boy, he knew how to be charming. Harry simply nodded and looked at his feet, eye contact was clearly something he wasn't allowed to make.

 

"This is my uncle Severus, he looks scary but he's a nice guy," Draco said as he nudged Severus' arm to prove a point. The man cracked a smile at the boy's antics and made a mental note to have him show it a little more. Harry looked up nervously at Severus and then to Draco. "Harry I need you to take this, and then we can talk. It will make you feel better," Draco said as he held the phial out to the boy. Severus smiled gently, he knew how convincing another child could be, Harry's hand trembled as he attempted to hold the phial only to scowl. "Harry?" asked Draco curiously. Severus watched the child and noticed that he was in pain, he wandlessly and silently summoned a second phial and held it out to the boy, "This will help with the pain," he said softly, he didn't realize that the boy's fingers hadn't finished healing. Harry looked at the phial and eyed it as though it would bite him. Draco sighed as he pulled the stopper from the calming draught and held it up for Harry to see. "Watch," he said simply.

 

Severus was confused for a moment until he watched the blonde lift the phial to his lips and take a sip of the draught, he made a funny face and wrinkled his nose. "It tastes horrible, but it helps," he said after a moment and held it out to Harry. Severus sighed, he had forgotten the most basic principle, "monkey see, monkey do." Harry too the phial in his hand and tipped it back, the potion fell into the boy's mouth, and Severus watched his expression twist into one of disgust. Draco took the other phial and held it out to the boy, "For your fingers," he said simply. Harry took the phial and asked, "Where am I?"

Draco smiled and sat on the floor cross legged, he heard his father snort and he shook his head. "My house, Malfoy Manor in Manchester," he said with a wide grin. Emerald green eyes widened, "Manchester?" he asked slowly. Obviously he knew the distance between the two and Draco nodded, "Yes, you should really take that, your fingers look like they hurt," he said simply. Harry tipped the phial against his lips and drank it. He seemed to ease before looking at Draco and then to Severus. "Do my Aunt and Uncle know where I am?" he asked.

 

Silence filled the room, and Severus looked at Tom for guidance. Harry had just asked the toughest question. "No," Tom replied, "and you won't be returning." Harry stared at Tom with wide and disbelieving eyes. His lips parted as he whispered, "Really?" he looked as though he had just receive the greatest Christmas gift of all time, "But who would want a freak?" he asked in confusion and he slowly uncurled and scratched his head. Severus felt as though someone had stabbed him in the heart, that word, he remembered Petunia shouting it at him. "Who called you that?" asked Severus slowly, his eyes were filled with sadness, he knew who it was. Petunia had always been jealous of Lily, and yet part of him hoped that it wasn't her. "My Aunt and Uncle, she said no one could love a freak. We aren't meant to be loved or touched. We should just do as we are told, we are a waste of space and below normal people," he replied, it was a well rehearsed and the heart breaking answer. Severus fought his instincts to clutch the boy to his chest and tell him that he was wrong. That he was loved, loved by so many people.

 

Before he could act Draco had wrapped his arms around the boy and whispered, "No you're not, you're just like us, you should remember Uncle Sev, you met him in the park," Draco said softly. Harry looked at the boy in confusion his eyes roamed around the room until they stopped. Severus turned his head only to see the glass flower fly across the room, and land in the boy's palm, a smile of happiness curved the boy's lips. "You gave me this," he said softly. Severus was shocked by the display of magic, Draco had done a few things, but never summoned an item to himself. "I did, you met Lucius as well, my friend and Draco's father," he said softly. Lucius walked over and knelt on the floor behind Severus and smiled. "Hello Harrison," he greeted warmly. Harry's eyes widened as he remembered the two, "You were the one! Severus told me to throw a snowball at you to help destroy your robes," said Harry with wide eyes.

 

Draco's brows lifted in confusion as he stared at the pair, Severus groaned, that wasn't one of his better moments, he had forgotten that the only people who knew his antics were Tom, Abraxas and Narcissa, Draco had no idea how they were when they were children. He sighed and brushed his hair out of his face, "Why would you tell him to do that?" asked Draco, it sounded as though it was a forging concept. Severus sighed and looked at the heir, "Simple, he hit me," he replied. Tom chuckled in the corner, "Draco, they have always been like that," he commented. Severus glared at Tom who was grinning broadly.

Harry looked at Tom and asked, "You were in my dream, but you're real. Who are you?"

 


	5. Dark Lords, Blondes and Potion’s Masters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucius finds himself in quite the predicament, he's being threatened on all fronts and oddly finds the best advice from the portrait of a wizard who has long since past. Salazar has decided to intervene and speaks of the Charter, the issue is no one knows where it is or the necessary elements to get Hogwarts back in shape. At least he doesn't think so until he finds himself falling through the floor and descending into a world of madness.
> 
> Draco comes to several startling realizations and decides rather than showing his facade that he will allow the damage boy in, as opposed to forcing him away. So begins the friendship that Severus will certainly loath - publically at least.
> 
> Tom is contemplating a new scrap of information, only to find himself faced with more riddles than answers.

The office was bustling as Aurors and various workers attempted to locate one Hadrian James Potter. The bright red robes of the Aurors flittered by as they dashed through the office, chasing just about any lead they could find. Lucius was sitting at his desk as he watched them panic and attempt to find the boy savior. He hummed as he lazily swept his long blonde hair back, he didn’t think the Ministry would be this bad after misplacing the boy, then again this was Albus Dumbledore’s doing. Albus had been attempting to locate the boy and return him to the muggles, which was something he couldn’t allow. He was getting tired of dealing with Albus, the man was trying to block him out and has somehow gained a majority of the votes in the Wizengamot. Even at Hogwarts he wasn’t allowing the board of Governors to do what they were supposed to.

 

Lucius looked over the pages before him, they were performance ratings for Hogwarts students since Albus was headmaster. The only departments which seemed to be up to date were Potions thanks to Severus and oddly Transfiguration since Minerva hated to be bested by Severus. Other than those two, Hogwarts was severely behind in every other area, especially Defense against the Dark Arts. For the past decade and a half, Albus only allowed for the white magic to be taught, which went against a number of principles of Hogwarts. It’s goal was to teach black, white and gray magic, not only that of the light. In his opinion, Albus had destroyed the fundamental teachings of the founders, not to mention that he had denied the Sorting Hat the ability to select the Headmaster. According to tradition, the hat was to cry out the name of the Headmaster upon the death or retirement of the first. It was an old code which had been agreed upon by the founders; naturally the hat was limited to the teaching staff and renowned Hogwarts Alumni, which oddly the hat seemed to know off hand. The thing seemed to exist outside the realm of the ordinary and time, which in retrospect gave Lucius chills, the thought of the ragged looking hat knowing all of his deeds was a little alarming to say the least.

 

He leaned back and looked at his desk there had to be a loophole he hadn’t thought of, something that would give him leverage. His eyes drifted around his office until he noticed something rather startling his portrait of grandfather was replaced by a wizard with bright emerald green eyes, long brown hair, royal cheekbones and a smirk on his lips. He was dressed in luxurious black robes with emerald green embroidery on them and a snake around his shoulders. Lucius’ mouth popped open as he stared at the man who was wearing a beautiful golden locket with an emerald green snake in the shape of an S on it. “You- you’re,” he stammered as he stared at the now grinning portrait. “My, my, I have managed to make a Malfoy stammer, that’s certainly a first,” commented the portrait, “Yes Lucius, I’m Salazar and yes I know who you are. Honestly, its difficult to forget with how frequently your name is thrown around.”

 

Lucius’ mouth closed with an audible click as he looked at the man before him, “May I help you?” he asked nobly. The portrait chuckled as he pulled out a scroll and held it up, “Assist me? No, however,” he paused as he opened the scroll and allowed it to hover before him, “I believe I can help you.” Lucius’ gray eyes fell on the scroll and he asked, “How?” Salazar chuckled; the sound was velvety and reminded him of a certain Dark Lord. “That damn rag as you called it, the Sorting Hat,” he replied as he smirked knowingly, “Don’t worry it’s Rowena’s creations, and she commented you were more likely to listen to me than her.” Lucius felt as though someone had shoved cotton balls in his mouth and nodded numbly, he honestly couldn’t believe he was even talking to the elusive portrait. “Now then, as you know the Board of Governors is a recreation of a council which in the past was set up by the founders to ensure that a headmaster doesn’t abuse his power correct?” asked Salazar as he scratched the serpent that was draped over his shoulders under its chin.

 

Lucius hummed and looked at the portrait and stared, “I believe so, it was mentioned first year in Hogwarts a History,” he said slowly, it took a bit to brush the cobwebs away from the small tidbit that as a student he honestly didn’t care about. It was funny how a footnote in a book could change everything, then again a number of things in his life was like that. “What do you know of the Board of Governors Mister Malfoy?” Lucius growled at this and glared at the portrait, “Quite a bit, considering I am on it,” he replied. Salazar chucked as he whispered something to his serpent friend. “Then are you aware that the Board is to include one of each of the heirs of the houses, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Magic?” he asked. Lucius froze, his gray eyes widened as he began searching through the documents on his desk, he hadn’t heard that clause and from what he knew none of the founder’s heirs were on the board. They hadn’t been since Headmaster Dippet. “I’ll take that as a no, this also includes one more family, the Peverell. Once the three decedents are placed on the board with those of the founders then you have the true board of Governors,” Salazar stated as he folded his hands and shifted in his seat, which he had conjured at some point.

 

Lucius pulled up the pages which he had signed when he had first been inducted as a governor, the clause wasn’t there. “It’s not here, I need proof Salazar,” he stated bluntly as he scowled at the now useless document. “You need to find the charter, the original Charter. Surely you must have it somewhere,” Salazar commented, there was a hint of concern in his voice as he spoke and Lucius shook his head. “The original Charter has been lost for decades, this copy was redrafted by Merlin when he first joined the Board. Apparently they searched high and low for the document but couldn’t find it,” Lucius commented. Salazar sat back and watched the blonde lord pensively. He looked lost in thought, as though it took everything he had to remember. It was then that Lucius reminded himself he was speaking to a portrait, an echo of the great wizard, who honestly had exceeded even his expectations of being useful. “I apologize, but I don’t remember where it was hidden, it must be in the school. Are you certain the Head Master doesn’t have it?” he asked.

 

Lucius shook his head and looked at Salazar, “Every Headmaster has searched for it, only to return empty handed,” he replied. There was silence between the two, as Lucius attempted to figure out just where the Charter would be hidden. Every school regardless of age had a Charter, it was an application for land and the ability to create an establishment from the legislative body at the time. Every Charter was different but usually outlined the basics of School Policy, teaching requirements, ethics and a variety of fail-safes to ensure that students were taught the proper materials. Why he hadn’t thought to go searching for the charter before was a mystery to him. Yet, now there was another issue as well, he had to find the heirs to not only the founders but also Pravells. “What if the heirs are all children?” asked Lucius thoughtfully. Salazar hummed and looked at him, “Simple, the Lady of Hogwarts will take control and will act on their behalf. Don’t you know who the heirs are?” he asked after a moment. Lucius felt those emerald green eyes gazing through him like daggers. “No, that information was lost as well,” he replied slowly. Salazar huffed and looked at Lucius as though he were a fool, “Nothing is ever lost, especially blood. Look at the most powerful wizards of the age, minus the Headmaster and test their blood,” he replied.

 

Lucius paled at the mention of blood magic, the Ministry had banned it long ago since it was used to wreak havoc on the general population. “That’s considered illegal now Salazar, the only ones who can do it are the goblins,” he replied. There was a pause as the founder sighed in frustration, another block, it seemed the closer they drew to a solution, the further away they actually were from it. “Unless,” Salazar said with a grin, “You have a capable Potion’s Master correct?” Lucius nodded and scowled, how Severus factored into this confused him. The man was his long time friend and he knew better than anyone that the man was quite literally the best Potion’s Master of the Age, and the youngest to receive Mastership. “Good, go down to my study and pick up journal 119, page 365 there should be something there,” he stated with an air of triumph. Lucius was about to bound out of his seat until he remembered a certain caveat. “Where is your study?” he asked. Salazar replied simply, “In my chambers of course,” he stated.

 

Lucius looked at the portrait as though it were daft and groaned, “What?” asked Salazar in confusion his brows lifted as he asked. Lucius glared at the portrait, “Simple, you’re study is lost, like the rest of your chambers, no one knows where they are!” Salazar simply snorted and began laughing with a grin on his face. Lucius honestly wished that he could jump through the portrait and kill him at that moment. He hated it when people laughed at his misfortune. “The heir does, just ask him,” he stated before vanishing. Lucius was about to shout the fact that he didn’t know who any of the heirs were when the man vanished. Stepping back into the frame was his ancestor who looked at him and asked bluntly, “So what did I miss?” Lucius pushed himself away from his desk and decided it was now time to torture the interns since he was frustrated.

 

He walked out of his office and watched as various Ministry employees rushed back and forth. His secretary stood at attention and asked, “What can I get for you Mister Malfoy?” Lucius was about to be sarcastic and say the Hogwarts Charter when he realized all he had to do was head to the Hall of Records, which was essentially a massive library filled with genealogy charts. He had a feeling if he was going to find anything it would be there. He felt as though he were gliding across the floras he walked toward the lift, he smile deviously and watched a number of women trip over themselves as a result. The lift hurled itself backward as he waited for it to zip to his destination. His mind was teaming with plans to slip past the archive keeper. Before he even realized it the contraption stopped at his floor and he slipped out. Getting in was easy, it was slipping past the records keeper, that was the hard part. His black shoes clicked as he walked across the green marble floors to the center of a massive space.

 

He had been to the archive once before, but the entrance was different. He sighed when he looked up to see the portrait of a different keeper hanging above him. “Brilliant,” he mumbled as he looked at the walls, there wasn’t a door in sight. His eyes tipped up to the ceiling and he looked at the beautiful stain glass dome over head. Usually he would admire the craftsmanship but he found himself more irritated than impressed. “Mister Malfoy, how nice to see you once again,” said a sweet voice. He looked up to see the smiling face of Judge Amelia Bones. Internally he cringed she had been his judge for his trial. Luckily he was saved by the fact that the mark had vanished from his arm until the Dark Lord had returned. “Judge Bones,” he greeted with a polite nod. She smiled a little and stepped into the center of a large circular design, “Going to the archive?” she asked simply as she stood in the center of a circle with the Ministry Seal on it.

 

Lucius nodded and she chuckled, “Then I suggest you stand beside me,” she stated. The blonde noble looked at the brunet who was still dressed in court robes. Her ocean blue eyes looked at him with a hint of satisfaction that the clever Lucius Malfoy was no match for a Ravenclaw. He huffed before standing beside her and crossed his arms. She knelt on the floor and place her hand on the tile, Lucius was about to shoot a nasty remark when the floor shifted and he watched before his eyes as the delicate pattern in the floor moved like the tumblers of a lock. “What?” he asked in confusion. Bones snickered as the man’s jaw hit the floor and slowly the circle which they had been standing on began to lower itself through the floor. “Impressed? The Archive’s Keeper deemed the doors unsafe, now just don’t piss him off. Keep that Malfoy pride to yourself, you’ll find that he isn’t keen on it,” she stated as the marble slab hovered just a step above the floor. He watched as Amelia stepped off and asked, “Why are you helping me?” She shrugged and smiled a little, “You wouldn’t come here if you weren’t looking for something important. Besides who’s to say you can even find it,” she stated. Lucius was about to say something when he suddenly realized what she was saying. Books were flying through the air, landing on various shelves and pages seemed to flutter like birds. The stacks themselves were so tall that he couldn’t even see the tops of them. Scrolls, books, journals, sheets and even stamps were thrown about in no true order. “Happy Hunting!” called Bones over her shoulder as she disappeared down a row.

 

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?”

~~WL~~

 

Harry opened his eyes and slowly slipped into the new clothing which had been given to him by the Malfoys, he loved the feeling of the soft fabrics against his skin and hummed as he stretched. There was a knock on the door and Harry called, “Come in,” as he finished slipping into the sweater, the house was oddly cold in the winter. He turned around to see Draco standing in the doorway. “Draco?” asked Harry as the blonde smiled and sauntered in, clearly he had learned this habit from his father. Harry had been with them for the past few days and began to pick up on the Malfoy ways, one of them was the way they walked. Regardless of where they were they quite frankly walked in as though they owned the place, which honestly amused Harry. “Good morning, Dad’s at work, Mom’s helping at St Mungos, Uncle Sev is brewing and Tom had to go out,” Draco explained before plopping on the bed and rolled over so he was looking up at the ceiling. Harry chuckled as he watched the Malfoy heir act in an undignified manner, it was usual of the boy but still rather fun. “So you get to choose where we have breakfast, the solarium is heated and it has a pretty cool view of the grounds, which are currently covered in snow. We could go to the dining room or even eat here. You choose,” Draco said simply as he rolled over and watched as Harry attempted to tame his hair.

 

“The Solarium sounds cool,” Harry replied with a smile as he placed the comb down, and deemed it pointless. Narcissa had called it the Potter Curse, apparently every Potter had untidy hair, and even long it was unruly. Draco grinned and slipped off of Harry’s bed, it had been two days since Harry had first woken and he was still learning the layout of the massive house. Harry followed Draco out of his room and looked around eagerly, the walls were lined with portraits and artifacts were placed on tables throughout the hallway. “Wow, Drake how big is this place?” he asked curiously as he looked at the portraits each of them were smiling and looking at them as they seemed to walk by. Draco hummed thoughtfully as he attempted to remember the approximate cubic meters of floor plan of the house. “Well there’s about 67 rooms that I know of, plus the attic, the cellar, the dungeon, the potion’s lab where uncle Sev is and a separate wing which houses the practicing rooms. Not to mention the boat house and guest house,” he explained. Harry’s mouth popped open as he openly gaped at the blonde. Draco simply continued walking and then commented, “This is considered the smaller house, you should see the other one in France, much bigger and warmer too. I thought the Potters had a ton of properties. Come to think of it you guys have even more than we do.”

 

Harry stared at Draco, he had always been told he was worthless and a burden, only to learn that he wasn’t. That he was in fact as wealthy as the Malfoys, who were considered rich by any standard. “Really?” asked Harry as he ran his hand through his hair. Draco stopped abruptly and looked at the raven haired boy, “No way, surely you knew. I mean come on you guys even have a pent house in Japan, not even we have that,” commented Draco. Harry shook his head and looked thoughtfully out the window. “The only place that was ever considered mine was my cupboard,” he commented, he was having a difficult time wrapping his head around Draco’s words. All his life he had been told he was worthless and that his parents were paupers, only to find out that they weren’t. That he was part of the highest levels of society. “Harry?” asked Draco after a moment and the young boy snapped back to reality. “What’s wrong?” he asked slowly. Harry smiled as he looked at the blonde boy, his grey eyes were sparkling with concern and now Harry could see the features which Narcissa had bestowed upon the Malfoy scion. At a glance Draco was a carbon copy of Lucius, however, now he realized that the boy had his mother’s kindness and compassion as well. “I, I’ve always been told that I was good for nothing and that I wasn’t wanted,” he began and looked out the window sadly, “Then I wake up and I learn that there’s a hold society of people who care about me, and that I’m worth more than I could ever dream.” Harry paused as he slowly walked over to the window and leaned on the frame, “It’s so surreal, I’m worried if I become too happy I might just wake up in my cupboard,” he stated as he gazed out the window, “that you, you’re family, Tom and Sev; that all of this would be nothing but a dream.”

 

Suddenly a pair of slender arms was wrapped around the boy, and he felt warmth wrap around him like a blanket. Harry glanced over to see a head of blonde hair resting on his shoulder. “You’re not dreaming, Harry. You’re never going back there,” Draco stated firmly as he lifted his head, “I won’t let them take you.” The blonde was determined to never released his friend, no matter what the consequence. Harry’s eyes widened, before he smiled brightly, he belonged somewhere and that was what mattered.

 

“Come on then, I’m starving,” Draco commanded as he slipped away from Harry and continued down the hallway, a few turns later and a staircase and the young lord had found the Solarium. Emerald eyes widened as they took in the sight before them, the room was filled with orchids. Sitting in the middle of the room was a white iron table with two chairs and a full spread, compliments of the house elves. “My mother loves Orchids, she has quite the collection doesn’t she? She likes roses too,” Draco commented as he took a seat in one of the chairs. Harry was still as he looked at the blonde boy among the flowers, he looked like an angel resting in the garden of Eden. Light was pouring in from every direction making the blonde’s platinum hair glisten in the light and his grey eyes seem even more dramatic against his porcelain face. At that moment, Draco looked different, fragile and yet strong, thanks to Lucius’ powerful jaw and nose which had been bestowed upon the boy. “They’re beautiful,” Harry commented as he slowly walked over to one of the man pots.

 

His eyes fell on a beautiful white flower with graceful petals and purple fringe. The petals looked supple and so delicate that by simply touching them he would cause the flower to wither and die. They seemed to float before him, he loved the scent and hummed, it was stronger than a rose’s and seemed far more mysterious to him. “That’s mother’s favorite. It’s from Colombia, it’s called a _Cattleya_. It also happens to be their national flower,” Draco explained. Harry slowly stepped away from the breathtaking flower and took a seat before the young blonde lord. “What about Severus?” asked Harry slowly, somehow while gazing at the orchid he was reminded of the dower potion master who was currently hiding in the lab. There was a pause as Draco gave the question some thought, “I don’t know really, but when ever he is in the gardens he spends a significant amount of time with the lilies we have. He stares at the white ones the longest,” Draco commented. Harry nodded, he could remember the glass like Lily the man had given him before, it was still sitting in his room in a place of honor on his night table.

 

The boys fell into silence as they began eating, Harry was about to dig in when Draco hummed and whipped his mouth on a napkin. “Hang on, I almost forgot,” he said as he began digging in his pocket for something. After a moment, he pulled a vial which contained a brown liquid in it. “Uncle Sev wants you to take that. It’s a Nutrient Potion, it’s supposed to help you gain weight,” Draco explained. Harry sighed as he collected the glass bottle from the blonde’s hand. He had a feeling that this was going to taste like soiled gym socks, but knew it was far easier to drink the potion and satisfy the man than it was to refuse and have it forced down his throat anyway. Harry popped the cork and wrinkled his nose before saying, “Cheers.” Draco chuckled as Harry knocked the bottle back and wrinkled his nose in disgust. “I’m beginning to think he makes those things taste horrible on purpose,” commented Harry. Draco smiled broadly and shook his head. Clearly his complaint was one of a long list of them about Severus’ potions.

 

“So what are we going to do?” asked Harry. The blonde looked up in confusion, a silver knife glinted in his hand and Harry noted the blackberry jam which was on the end from spreading it on a piece of rye toast. “What on earth do you mean?” asked Draco with a hint of irritation. Harry paused and then remembered that Draco was raised to speak properly and wanted Harry to do so as well. “What are we going to do today since the adults are away?” asked Harry, his voice was smoother and he sounded a little more confident. A smile broke across Draco’s face as a resulted he folded his toast in half so it made a loud crunching sound. “What any pair of nine year olds would do,” he replied simply. Harry tilted his head and looked at Draco, somehow he couldn’t understand quite what the blonde was getting at. “Read?” asked Harry after a moment. Tom had taken him to the library where he fell in love with all of the books in it. Draco chuckled and shook his head before placing his toast back on his place and rubbing his fingers together to get the crumbs off of them. His grey eyes fell on his tea before the boy decided to warm his cup with a touch more from the pot. “No, the one thing that we are expected to do at our age, get in trouble,” he said simply as he lifted the cup to his lips. A smirk was playing on his lips as he did so.

 

Emerald green eyes widened as he looked at the boy, he was still worried about getting thrown out, especially since he was there on their good graces. “Dray, that sounds like a really bad idea,” he commented. Draco took a sip of tea and then placed the cup back on its saucer. He didn’t seem too thrilled with Harry’s answer as he crossed his legs and then his arms. Harry stared as he watched Draco do this, he looked so much like his father it was a little frightening, one of his eyebrows lifted as he did this. “Oh?” he asked simply, “Fine, I’ll just find a way to amuse myself, I was going to include you in my plan but now I won’t,” Draco commented. Harry groaned, Malfoy honestly was far more troublesome than he was. “What about?” asked Harry as he eyed the door nervously. Draco waved his hand in front of his face and commented, “Dad and Tom? They won’t care, besides they prank one another all the time. The most that will happen is that we have to clean caldrons for Uncle Sev.”

 

Draco grinned mischievously, his once slicked back blonde hair fell out of place and his stormy grey eyes were twinkling with mischief as he swept a hand through his hair. Part of Harry ached to see just how clever the boy was, while the other part preferred not to. He sighed, there was only one way to find out. “Okay, you have my interest, what’s the plan?” Draco grinned broadly as he slid his saucer out of the way and leaned on the table with his elbows. His fingers were steeped before his lips. “What color are bats?” he asked with a smirk.

 

 

~~WL~~

 

Blank, that’s all that was there when ever Tom attempted to remember that dreadful night. It felt as though he were missing something important, something essential and yet he couldn’t figure it out. His chest ached when ever he looked at Harry, but he wasn’t sure if that was from the knowledge that he had killed the boy’s parents or something deeper. He didn’t understand it, and honestly it got on his nerves. He sighed as he placed his quill on his desk and looked at the letter which had been tucked in one of the Cloak’s inner pockets. He didn’t even realize the cloak had such a pocket, he looked at the ring around his finger and hummed, there was something important about it, now if only he could remember. Tom leaned back in his chair and raked his fingers through his black hair lazily. He could remember the day he had gotten into the castle, in all honestly he had been expecting to battle with the wards and the massive doors only for the iron gates to open on their own. He closed his eyes as he remembered the massive gates opening.

 

_The Scottish air had been nippy and his cheeks were red from the frightful cold, he stood before the massive gates and only now did he realize how much of an obstacle they were. He could feel the freshly applied wards around them, Flitwick must have reapplied them while the students were away, there were two days left to the start of the Spring Semester, and from what he could tell only a select few had decided to stay. Yet something told him to touch the gate, as foolish as it sounded since a majority of the wards would sear ones hand off if they attempted, something in the back of his mind told him to touch it. Tom’s hand shook a little as he reached out to touch the cold gates only for the wards to hum. Red eyes closed in anticipation as he expected for them to go off and for him to slam into a wall, and yet they didn’t. He slowly opened his eyes and stared in awe as he felt the wards send a comforting warmth through him, as though he belonged there, that it was the castle’s way of saying it was his home. Tom drew a deep breath before slowly stepping through the gates, he held his yew and phoenix feather wand in hand and stared as a golden orb raced down the path to greet him._

_Instantly Tom had taken a defensive position, prepared to blast what ever the object was to oblivion, only to watch it shift into a sleigh. He stared as the light moved, drawing out the chassis, the harnesses, the doors, and even the cab. The blades of the rudders on the sleigh glistened in the light and he stared at the Hogwarts Crest on the door. Tom’s eyes narrowed as the small black door swung open on it’s own, to show a plush interior made of golds, silvers, rubies, sapphires, emerald and plums. He slowly slipped into the sleigh which was covered and took a seat, it was warm and he felt the familiar and gentle caress of magic against his skin. He couldn’t explain it, and in all honesty he didn’t want to. The sleigh moved on its own up the hill and he stared at the white world which seemed to slide by, not once did he see an Auror or a professor making their way to him. It was odd and yet soothing as the sleight slowed its pace and stopped before a familiar courtyard. Tom slowly stepped out and felt the kiss of magic against his skin, only this time it was accompanied by a slight tingle. He hummed in confusion as he went to sweep his hair out of his face when he noticed it was a light coffee color. He paused and summoned a mirror, it hovered before him and his eyes widened, they were blue. His breath fogged the slick glass as he looked at them, they hadn’t been blue in years, his hair was several shades lighter but he still had alabaster skin. His features were a little softer and only now did he realize that Hogwarts had given him the gift of a glamour. It was as though she knew he was coming to retrieve something that didn’t belong to the Headmaster. He swept across the snow covered Court Yard, memories flowed back to him one by one of his true home._

_Tom paused before a familiar pair of massive, weathered oak doors. He reached out to touch them only for them to swing open as well. “Strange,” he breathed as he entered the warm atmosphere of the castle. Hogwarts has some of the strongest wards in the world, he knew that for certain and yet he had managed to enter the castle without an issue. It was as though the castle somehow wanted him there. He wasted no time rushing through the familiar corridors to his destination, he had a limited period of time to reach his destination before someone would realize that there was someone in the castle who didn’t belong. He glided across the stone floors toward the familiar guardian of the Headmaster’s office. The same Gargoyle which hadn’t changed since Dippet, he didn’t know the password and was about to give up when the Gargoyle did the strangest thing, it bowed to him. After bowing it began to rise and Tom jumped on the second step from the top. As he ascended he could hear the whispers of the portraits and somehow the castle, it was the strangest feeling, it didn’t frighten him, it just made him feel as though he belonged. The gargoyle stopped and Tom stepped into the hallway just before the headmaster’s door. He didn’t even have to knock, he had heard rumor that Albus was away for the holidays._

_He slowly slipped into the office and looked around at it, Albus had clearly made changes to it. The portraits lined the walls looked at him, books on the shelves whispered amongst themselves, and he noticed all of the silver contraptions spread through the room. His eyes widened as he noticed the bright red phoenix on the perch, he had heard of the bird but didn’t know the Headmaster actually owned him. It took everything he had to not reach out and pet it. “It’s nice to see you’re back,” said a soft voice which was accompanied by a warm smile. Tom turned around quickly looking for the voice until one of the former headmasters pointed to the self where the Sorting Hat sat. “You?” he asked incredulously. The hat chuckled and hummed to itself, “Tom Marvolo Riddle, it’s been a long time hasn’t it? What you seek will only show itself when you command it to,” the hat stated. Tom’s eyes narrowed as he fiddled with his ring, twisting it three times clockwise and another two counter clockwise. “How do you know what I’m looking for?” he asked the hat skeptically, the hat grinned._

_“I don’t, but I’m sure she does,” it replied, Tom was getting more and more irritated and without thinking held his hand out palm up and shouted, “I’m looking for an invisibility cloak, how the fuck do you think I’m going to simply-” there was silence as he felt something fall into his open palm. Blue eyes widened as the silky fabric ran across his skin and he turned his head, draped over his free hand was the cloak. His lips parted as he attempted to understand what had just happened. “How?” he asked curiously as he slowly examined it. “Magic, now I suggest you get going a certain old man will be returning and I highly doubt that he would want to run into Lord Voldemort in his office,” the Sorting Hat cautioned. Tom was about to ask how the thing even knew who he was until he heard the words themselves._

_In moments he was about to rush from the room when the Hat shouted, “WAIT! Just Apparate!” Tom stared at the hat as though it were insane, he knew he would get splinched by the wards if he even attempted it. “Trust me Mister Riddle! Just do it!” shouted the hat again. Tom turned when he heard a familiar crack and he growled before attempting to appreciate himself. Worse case scenario he would get splinched. There was a familiar tug at his navel and when he expected to find pain he was simply greeted by a warm fire and a familiar hiss, **‘Where the hell have you been?’**_

Tom was snapped out of his daydream by a loud shout, “POTTER!” which was followed a few seconds later by, “MALFOY!” it rang through the halls, causing them to shake violently, and for a moment he thought the roof of the mansion lifted off the structure. Red eyes widened as he jumped to attention with his wand out. There was a thunder of footsteps, only to be followed by a yelp from both boys. Then silence followed which caused the Dark Lord to stare at the door, he honestly wasn’t sure if he should open it and check on the boys to see if Severus had murdered them, or stay in the sanctuary of his office. Then again what ever happened would surely end up storming into his office, he sighed and looked at the hour glass on his desk before he began to count, “3,” the silence stretched on. “2,” he heard footsteps approaching his office. They grew louder as did the ranting of the Potion’s Master, “1,” he said simply. There was a pause before a rather gentle rapping on his office doors. Tom sighed as he walked around the front of his desk, “Better get this over with,” he mumbled.

 

He rubbed his head and called, “Enter.” The door swung open to show the most comical thing Tom Marvolo Riddle had seen since his Hogwarts days. Standing in the threshold was a very stressed and angry looking Severus Snape. He had traffic cone orange hair, bright blue skin, neon robes, and a very familiar pair of boys. His black eyes looked lethal and he had a feeling he knew just what happened. Harry and Draco looked around the office innocently as Harry hid the Invisibility cloak behind his back. Everything in the office seemed immensely interesting compared to Tom and Severus. He should have known that the boy had a troublesome streak like James Potter. A chuckle fell from his lips as he looked at the man, his black robes had been transformed into neon colored ones, which he was certain a very familiar Headmaster would love. “My Lord,” Severus said with a hint of anger and at that point Tom was on the floor holding his sides laughing hysterically. Of all the people to prank they had chosen Severus, the most serious and perhaps terrifying of the group, second to Greyback of course but still terrifying to most of the student population of Hogwarts. His laughter filled the room and tears of joy leaked from his eyes as he clutched his sides, the boys had put him in stitches. “Well done, well done,” he stated as he attempted to pull himself back together, which was pretty much useless considering he would have to lift the spells.

 

“It’s not that amusing my lord,” commented Severus with irritation. Tom shook his head and grinned broadly, “Severus I didn’t know you wanted to be a Smurf, you should have said something sooner.” Severus glared at him darkly; he had a feeling if he were a student still that the Potion’s Master would have him scrubbing caldrons well into his seventh year. Severus grit his teeth and glared at the boys. “It isn’t that amusing,” he hissed again. Tom shook his head and whipped his eyes lazily with the side of his index finger, “I beg to differ,” he commented as he attempted to recompose himself. Tom could tell that the man was itching to get the boys to scrub caldrons all day.

 

Tom slipped his yew and phoenix wand from his sleeve and with the flick of his wrist the accidental magic was reversed, leaving the dower man in all his irritable glory. The things he could teach these boys, “Sadly Harry and Draco, you will have to make it up to Severus, which will be as follows, assisting him in the lab prepping ingredients,” he stated. Harry and Draco nodded in unison and suddenly found the floor to be immensely interesting. Without a second thought Severus was escorting the pair to the lab.

 

 A smile curved Tom’s lips as he leaned back in his chair and put his arms behind his head. Nagini slithered in and asked, _‘What’s made you so happy?’_

_‘What’s dower, black and was attempting to join the Blue Men?’_ he hissed with a grin and the snake blinked in confusion, _‘One Severus Snape. Oh the things I can teach these boys.’_

~~ WL ~~

 

Day shifted to night, and just as everyone was returning to bed, there was only one person up and about. Sitting in the Living room with her legs crossed reading a book of Charms was a beautiful woman dressed in a black silk night dress. The dress was long and when she was standing stopped just above her ankles, with a long slit that stopped mid thigh and a plunging neckline. It hugged her curves, accenting the swell of her breast, trim waist, flat stomach and elegant hips, outlining each and every one of them, showcasing her hourglass figure. Even after having Draco she still looked as attractive as any of the younger witches often seen strutting through Diagon Alley. Lucius had picked up the dress on one of his trips to China. Her long blonde and black hair was down and fell like a curtain down her back, and her fingers tugged the green dressing gown tighter. A dark emerald green robe swallowed her as she sat before the fire, her wand beside her and the book between her fingers. Grey eyes scanned the pages slowly, as an irritated huff filled the room. In seconds the book snapped shut and the heavy tome was dropped on the side table. She shifted once again and pulled her legs up so she could curl up in the large black leather chair which her husband loved. She crossed her arms and leaned her head against the side of it as she listened for him to return. To say that Narcissa Malfoy was nervous was an understatement; Lucius was late, very late.

 

Usually he was home every evening at five, however he wasn’t home yet and he hadn’t sent word that he would be late. Her teeth were on edge as she began to think about what could possibly make the man late. Lucius was always on time, and if he were late, he would have sent word. She crossed her arms and watched the fire anxiously for any sign that it would turn green and her husband would step out of it like he always did. It was never Lucius leaving or returning from a long day that worried her, but when he was late. Tom had been irritable for the past few days, he knew far more about Harry than he was saying, but she wasn’t one to pry into the Dark Lord’s life. There were far too many dark secrets in it.

 

Minutes passed like hours and slowly the Lady of the House’s eyes grew heavy. She didn’t want to sleep, she couldn’t and yet her body was screaming at her to do so. Between the worry over Harry and what would happen to the dear boy, Tom’s behavior and the general return of Severus’ source of distress, she felt as though she were in over her head. For years all three men had been her rocks, her anchors and yet they were now all unable to stay grounded and suddenly she was not only grounding Lucius but the others as well. She couldn’t take it, her fingers itched to touch wood and feel the hum of strings beneath them. Narcissa sighed she couldn’t take it, she needed her companion and vice which over the years she had found almost as much comfort in as Lucius. Instantly Narcissa was on her feet and crafted a simple wooden chair with a soft plum colored cushion. She held her hand out and watched as her faithful companion floated into the room.

 

Her fingers wrapped around her familiar and slender bow, she loved the feeling of the delicate wood between her fingers, but no where near as much as the instrument itself. Standing before, waiting at attention was Narcissa’s own vice, her eyes traveled from the beautiful curled red wood of it’s head, down a slender dark wooden neck and to the elegant curves of the instrument’s body, her black F holes stood out in the light and she smiled as each of the strings glistened in the light of the fire. She slowly touched the instrument’s long neck and caressed it with the tips of her fingers with affection, she could feel it’s smooth finish and admired the glossy sheen it had acquired after she had polished it not too long ago. She slowly touched it’s neck to her head and closed her eyes. This instrument was her first friend, her first love, her first addiction, and her undoing, her cello.

 

Narcissa drew a deep breath as she closed her eyes and positioned herself. She sighed with content as she straightened her back, and spread her knees so she could cradle the cello properly. She hummed as she leaned it against her body and supported it as though it were her lover. She felt it’s familiar wood against the inside of her thigh as she lifted her bow and positioned her fingers over the fingerboard of the instrument. She drew a deep breath and drew the bow across the strings, the deep voice of the cello hummed, the vibrations rang through her frame like the thoughts of her life. She closed her eyes as she slowly felt herself slip into the familiar motion of drawing the bow across the strings, her fingers gently caressing the strings as they danced delicately down the neck of the instrument. A melancholy piece filled the room, as the familiar tones of Elgar’s Cello Concerto Opus 85 broke through the silence. Every thought of the men in her life slipped into the background as she drew the bow, with each note a piece of her seemed to drift away as the rich voice of the cello attempted to soothe her worries. Her head dipped forward as she begged for the cello to sing louder and broader, with each draw her mask fell further off until it shattered on the floor. Her face twisted with sadness and concern as she began to sway as the bow seemed to move on it’s own.

 

The strings hummed beneath her fingers as he thoughts were finally free from their worrisome confines. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders and into her eyes as she held the cello closer, and closer, savoring the feeling of her second love between her legs. Yet, she remained her tender touches, caressing the cello and worshiping it with each and every note. She was so close, so close to letting go entirely, to finally feel it. She felt the familiar fire fill her veins, it spread rapidly and made her heart pound, the tension of the strings beneath her fingers, the taught bow in her hand and the lush voice which sang. The tempo, the pain, the sorrow, that lamenting sound of a lonesome cello without it’s orchestra and the hope, the hope that not all was lost, that her world would come together once more and she would be free. Free from everything, every worry, every fear, and looming threat. The cello soared as she smiled softly, yes it was in her grasp, her fingers danced up and down the neck of the cello with accuracy and fluidity, as though she and the cello were made for one another. Suddenly there was light in the darkness, every emotion collided as she felt her soul sing, her bow moved rapidly as she dipped and arched her back, her fingers pressing dangerously close to the end of the fingerboard as she listened to the high notes of the cello fill her soul. Those cries of desire from such a dismal place, her heart was pounding and for a moment she saw white. She was free.

 

She paused, her chest was heaving, and her heart was thundering in her chest. She drew a deep breath and relaxed slightly before continuing to the end, a numbness had set in, one which seemed to go to her core. The final notes of the concerto hung in the air solemnly, she felt so alone, even though there were others in the house. She tipped her head back, gasping for air, the large green dress robe was slipping off her shoulder and now rested as the crook of her elbow, with the other side on her shoulder. “Narcissa? Love?” called a familiar voice. She slowly opened her eyes to see the concerned steel grey eyes of her husband. He looked exhausted but far more concerned for her. He slowly knelt on the floor beside her and placed a hand on her cheek. “Why are you crying?” he asked gently as his fingers swept away the incriminating droplets which had fallen at some point.

 

“You’re late, I thought that you,” she whispered before placing her bow on the floor and leaning the cello against the plush leather chair. In seconds her arms were wrapped around Lucius’ shoulders and she nuzzled his neck, breathing in his scent and cologne. He wrapped his arms around her and began to rub soothing circled into her back, she could feel his warm hands through the dress robe and whispered, “Hush, it’s alright, I’m home,” he paused and continued, “I’m sorry I was late. I couldn’t get a hold of my secretary or a house elf, not even an owl would come to me while I was in that god forsaken hall of records.” She clutched him as though he were her lifeline and she whispered, “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

 

Lucius pulled back and lifted her chin with his fingers, “Look at me, you won’t, it would take more than a few misguided Wizards to rip me from you. What’s brought this on?” he asked gently. His voice was soft and his grey eyes seemed to soften as he looked at her. She sighed in frustration and looked at him, “I, I keep thinking about Lily and James and Harry, I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if it were us and Draco was the child of prophecy,” she replied hesitantly. Lucius gave her a knowing smile, Narcissa was a strong woman, but she too had her fears. “Love, I’m never going to let that happen. He is safe, I am safe and here in your arms,” he replied as he gently took one of her hands and placed it on his chest, “See, I’m here.” She could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm and she nodded. Lucius reached up and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and kissed her head affectionately. “You’re cold,” he whispered as he wrapped one of his hands around hers. He gently rubbed his palms over it, hoping the friction would warm them.

 

“Take me to bed,” she said softly to him. Lucius smiled as he slowly slipped his arms under her and picked her up. “As you wish,” he replied and with the nod of his head her cello returned to the Music Room. He continued to walk with her in his arms and whispered, “I noticed you borrowed my robe, miss me that much?” She smiled and kissed his neck, “No matter how long you are gone, or how far you go, I always miss you,” he replied simply. She watched a smile curve her husband’s lips and she hummed. They stopped before the doors of their bedroom and they swung open on their own. “I love you,” she whispered softly as he continued toward the bed. “I love you too,” he whispered softly as he placed her on the bed and crawled onto it. His hands slid over her sides, she could feel their warmth through the thin silk and moaned. “I also love this dress on you, I wonder how it looks on the floor,” he commented.

 

Narcissa chuckled as her pearl white teeth sank into her plump lower lip, “Why don’t we find out?” she asked as she tugged on his neck tie.

 


	6. A Rare Bit of Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a world surrounded in light, they will learn that perhaps the light is what blinds them from seeing the darkness it masks. Severus is hiding a dark truth, one that he can't even tell the Dark Lord, for fear it would break the man he had managed to bring back to sanity and away from the darkness. With the very threads of his own soul he had saved the man, but just what is the consequence and what did he sacrifice to do so?
> 
> Lucius finds himself disillusioned as he learns more of just what it means to work in the light, only to realize that perhaps his hands are cleaner than most.

Secrets can make or break a person, the darker the secret the rather they fall from grace and into the darkness where the demons dwell. However, there are some who are so accustomed to living in the dark that somehow they have become part of it themselves, and plunging further into it isn’t’ an issue. Yet, sometimes there were a few demons who had managed to carve out a small place where the light could shine in the darkness, where they could cultivate just a little hope.

 

 The air was cool in the lab and light was in every nook and cranny, it was actually welcoming and the walls were lined with rosewood cabinets that were lined with clean linens and shelves of potions ingredients. While off to the side bordering a pair of glass French doors were shelves of books which stretched from the floor to the ceiling. The French doors which were surrounded by rosewood opened to the gardens where ingredients were cultivated. There was a small patio just before them as well an outdoor brick set up for crafting potions which required moonlight.

 

The counters of the lab were black garnett, they glistened in the light and were so clean that even the tight spidery scrawl on the labels on the jars of ingredients could be read in their reflections. Barrels off to the far corner were filled with fresh stock of horned slugs, eels and other creatures which were necessary for the ancient art of brewing. Cauldrons of every size, shape and material were both hanging and placed on shelves. The fireplace was the most impressive of the entire set up, it was massive, so large in the fact that it housed five of the largest caldrons available on the market. Each caldron had a separate fire under it and was temperature controlled thanks to ingenuitive warding on the Potion’s master’s part.

 

Glass bottles, vials, flasks, tubes, and funnels were cleaned and glistened in the light. Stirring rods were placed in boxes but the ones which the Potion’s master frequently used were in a simple crystal vase, resting in the center of the lab on one of the two islands, which was covered in burners. The second island had a crystal top and wooden cutting boards resting on top of it, with knives of every shape, and size, from a traditional double-edged antheme to the elegant crescent shaped Bowline knife were resting on it.

 

There was a smaller fireplace however, it was significantly smaller, in fact, it was just barely large enough for two people to stand inside of it. It was always empty, never a caldron sat in it, and more often than not it was only lit when required, or whenever the room’s owner felt he need to converse with another person, which was rare. In fact, it was so rare that the fireplace was literally lit once in a blue moon. It was his way of keeping the pest at bay.

 

Only the sound of a sharp blade slicing through ginger root could be heard, the snap as the blade hit the wooden block as well as the friction between the blade and the white root were the only two things which could be heard. Long potion stained fingers pinched the blade in place as their master continued to slice through the hard root. Obsidian eyes were glaring at the root with irritation, and a sneer curled the man’s lips. Black slightly oily hair was pulled back in a black leather strap. His long black robes were sprawled on the back of a chair and he had rolled up the sleeves of his crisp black shirt, white scars littered his arms from cuts and burns. There was a knock on the lab door which joined the lab to the house and he sighed before picking up a sterile white rag and whipping the blade. His shoulders heaved a sigh before he turned to one of his cabinets and pulled out a glass bottle labeled essence of lilac.

 

The glass doors which lead to his lab were shoved open rather violently, in fact if he hadn’t charmed the glass to be unbreakable, he was certain the glass in the panes would have shattered, or at least cracked. He was about to shoot a snide remarked when he noticed that it wasn’t Lucius who had knocked, the man always wore florid cologne, this one smelled of cedar and spices. “Severus, must you be difficult?” he asked as he held up the large sign with the red words sprawled across it boldly, “Enter at your own risk.” Severus sighed as he looked at Tom, there was something in the man’s red eyes which told him that Tom needed to talk.

 

The glass bottle of the Essence of Lilac was placed on the table, it made a soft tap as he did so. The brunet strode into the room cautiously, he seemed lost in his own mind, it reminded Severus far too much of the man before he had taken the time to stitch Tom’s soul back together. Piece by piece Severus stitched, with a needle of bone and the crimson threads of humanity, which he had wrenched from his own soul. Bright red silk strands dripping in blood were pulled over and over again through the shards of what had once been a soul, tugging, pinching and tightening in an effort to put together something that should have never been broken. Ripping himself apart in an attempt to make the finest silk threads, what little he could produce from his own mangled soul. Hours he spent working to assemble what had once been shattered, to fix what many believed couldn’t be. It was painful, so very painful that even the Cruciatus Curse would seem like a blessing compared to this. Somehow through the haze of pain and agony he managed it, to have done the impossible and fix a shattered soul with his own hands. There was a price like everything else, a horrible price, he had to take care of Tom and if the man were to die so was he. The price of saving the man was he had to give up something equaled or greater in return. He just didn’t know what it was yet, it seemed as though fate had yet to collect. Severus didn’t even know why he had done such a deed before he believes it was out of obligation but now he wasn’t sure himself, it was all like a horrible nightmare.

 

Yet there was a piece missing, that night when Severus exhausted himself to save what he could of Tom Riddle’s soul, he learned that a piece of the man was missing, it was small but enough to affect him. A sliver, which had been misplaced amidst the chaos had vanished from view, Severus watched Tom trail his fingers on the cold counters. He never told Tom, how he could tell the man he couldn’t find all the shards of the man’s shattered soul, when he had taken it upon himself to stitch the man together again.

 

Part of the dower potion master began to wonder if the lost expression on Tom’s face was his subconscious screaming at him about missing a piece of himself. Tom conjured a Mahogany stool with a green and silver cushion resting upon its top, he perched on it. The white sign laid forgotten on the opposite counter and Severus watched Tom wring his hands as though he were a school boy who was about to be berated, it was unnerving to see. “Tom?” asked Severus softly as he set the root aside, he was still preparing ingredients, so he had a bit before he began to brew. Blood red eyes snapped up, his attention was on the potion master and he noticed that darkness in his eyes. “Tom, what happened?” Severus asked gently. Somehow he couldn’t be angry at this man, he could never be angry with him. He didn’t know why, in all honesty he thought it was because he had used the chords of his soul to stitch the other man’s.

 

“Sev, you know how I managed to get that cloak, don’t you?” he asked slowly, his voice was filled with uncertainty and nervousness. With the flick of his wrist Severus’ familiar ebony wand was in his hand and he conjured himself a stool, he had a feeling this was going to take a bit. He didn’t know the details but he had a feeling it had to do something with that night, that horrible night which had taken his Lily from him. “Not entirely,” he replied slowly, his voice was measured in an attempt to hide his thoughts from the man across from him.

 

Tom sighed as he leaned his elbows on the work bench and ran his hand through his wavy chocolate hair, “I did something I shouldn’t have. Something I’m not supposed to be able to do,” he said softly. For once in Tom’s life he sounded uncertain, Severus hummed as he relaxed a little and crossed his arms. He waited patiently for him to continue, what ever this was it was bothering the young Dark Lord enough to seek him out for a chat, which was usual, unless it involved an invasion or potions. “Sev, I got through the wards of Hogwarts, I managed to enter the castle without being detected. The castle even bestowed a glamour upon me,” he began. Severus’ eyes widened, he was well aware that Dumbledore and Flitwick had erected wards to block Tom from entering the grounds. “Did you break them?” asked Severus, know setting the list of potions which Poppy required off to the side, he would deal with Madame Pomfrey later, this was far more important.

 

Tom shook his head and replied, “No, the castle let me in, the gates opened on their own and there was even a carriage waiting for me. I thought it was a trap until I reached the doors of the castle, that was when I received the glamour and I felt as though I was being welcomed home.” His blood red eyes watched his fingers as he slowly massaged them, it was a nervous tick of Tom’s, one which many mistook as the man having sore hands from work. “It was as if all of the terrible things I had done didn’t matter. Even the castle doors opened by themselves, I continued to the Headmaster’s office expecting to have to guess every sweet under the sun, except,” he paused and lifted his eyes from his hands, they met obsidian orbs and he said with all sincerity, “except, the gargoyle bowed, it bowed to me as though I were it’s master before allowing me entry.”

 

Severus’ eyes widened, never had the gargoyle allowed that, it was created to protect the headmaster and remain absolutely loyal to both the Headmaster and the Founders of Hogwarts. “Tom, you used to believe that you were the heir of Salazar but what if,” he began and paused when Tom’s eyes locked on his, “What if you really are.” There was silence in the room, and the air felt thick, it was as though Severus was crewing a potion and the fumes had filled the air, sucking the oxygen out of their lungs. “If there is a chance that I share Salazar’s blood, then what about Hadrian? He can speak to snakes as well, only one of Salazar’s heirs can do that,” said Tom slowly.

 

Severus paused and began to wonder the same thing, Harry must have shared some of Salazar’s blood, which made no sense, the Potters weren’t related to Slytherin, they were Gryffindors both by blood and virtue. James had no secret talents, none of the tell tale signs of the brilliant blood which ran through the veins of the Slytherin house. James’ only talent was Defense Against the Dark Arts, he was horrendous at everything else. The one who was talented at Potions, Charms, and Runes was, “Lily,” he whispered as his eyes grew as large as saucers. Blood red eyes narrowed in confusion as the young Dark Lord tilted his head, “Lily Potter nee Evans, but she couldn’t speak to snakes, at least that I saw,” he mused as he looked at Tom.

 

“I’m an only child and I have no relatives,” stated Tom flatly, “If I had I wouldn’t have ended up in that god forsaken orphanage.” Severus rubbed his temples, this was making his head hurt, there had to be a connection somehow. “Severus, I was able to summon the cloak on a whim. I didn’t use a charm or anything, it just came to me,” Tom said softly. Severus’ brows knit together in confusion, he had heard of the beautiful Potter Cloak, it was an heirloom. “Wait why did Dumbledore have it? I don’t understand why the cloak flew to you but the bigger question is what he was doing with it. Now that I think about it, that damn cloak wasn’t in the house,” Severus said rapidly, his anger began to flare at the Headmaster as his memory was thrown back to that dreadful night.

 

“I was wondering the same thing,” Tom commented as he looked at the black table, he could see flecks of white quartz in it, “that night would have been so different if they had it. I wouldn’t have destroyed a boy’s chance at happiness.” The room went cold and a darkness which had been present made itself known. That was what was ebbing away at Tom, that he was the reason that Harry’s life was a living hell, he had condemned the boy to misery before he even had a chance to live. Tom’s head was bowed as he looked at his hands which were in his lap, his ring glistened in the light as he traced the band with his fingers.

 

There was something special about the ring, it wasn’t just because it had belonged to the Gaunt family, but there had to be something else important about it. The issue was that Tom just couldn’t seem to remember, “Tom, Thomas,” called Severus as he placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. The young Lord made no reply which worried Severus, he felt panic ensue as he jumped from the stool making it clatter to the floor as he did so. He grabbed the young brown haired man and squeezed his shoulders before calling, “Marvolo!” Tom twitched as Severus shook him and looked at the Potion Master in confusion. He scowled at him for a moment before shaking his head and rubbing his temples, “My head’s splitting Sev, I need to lay down,” he mumbled, his words began to slur together.

 

Severus loosened his grip on the man, only now did he realize how slender Tom was, his hands felt as though they had squeezed the shoulders of a skeleton. “Tom have you been eating?” asked Severus softly, now his concern was becoming very real. The young Lord wasn’t acting right, his usual vitality was slipping, “I have, I just can’t eat much, my stomach’s been bothering me,” he replied hesitantly. Severus sighed before standing before the wizard and looking down his hooked nose at him, as though Tom was a mere student in one of his glasses. He leaned against the lab table and crossed his arms, “The headaches? How long have those been going on?” he asked coolly.

 

“A while, you’ve been busy and with Hadrian here I didn’t want the boy to suffer, you also need rest,” he reasoned as he looked at the hem of his robe with extreme interest. Severus sighed, he really did feel as though he were dealing with a student, “What were you going to accomplish by starting yourself and living in agony?” he asked. What happened next was the most unusual thing, Tom’s shoulders lift and fell, he actually shrugged. Tom Marvolo Riddle, Dark Lord and supposed heir of Slytherin never shrugged, it was unbecoming of him. “You have helped me a great deal Sev, I don’t want to take more advantage of you than I already have, I know you sacrificed a piece of your soul for mine,” he replied.

 

Severus smiled bitterly at the memory, the only reason he had done that was to repay a debt and he believed that Harry was safe and sound. He didn’t have a reason to live anymore, at least then he didn’t. “Tom, with everything going on, you’re near the top of the list,” he stated before turning on his heel and walking over to one of his storage cupboards and pulling two phials, “Take these two and call me in the morning,” he instructed before pressing both phials into the young man’s hand. It was odd to see Tom as a person who was younger than himself, especially since he was technically older, far older in fact. A chuckle came from Tom as he shook his head and smiled a little, “You quoting a muggle movie? Sev I think the world will surely end,” he commented before uncorking the two phials and knocking them back as though they were shots of fire whiskey. He didn’t even groan about the taste. There was silence again between them as Severus began to process everything he had heard, “Severus, there is one more thing, well two more. The first is that the Sorting Hat knew my name, I didn’t even have to put it on my head it was as if it knew what I was looking for. Second, I was able to Apparate out of the castle,” he said slowly, as though the words and concepts were forging to him as well.

 

Severus slowly reached down and righted the stool before replying, “I don’t know much about that hat, honestly the thing has always crept me out, I would have to look into it for more information. As for the ability to Apparate, I don’t know either, only the Headmaster is able to do so.” He was about to continue when the fireplace in the corner flashed violently. Severus growled before looking at Tom pleadingly, “I have to answer, it’s Albus, you can stay here.”

 

Tom nodded slowly and Severus quickly spun around and knelt on the floor. He stuck his head in the green flames and said snidely, “Yes Albus?” He stared at the elderly wizard who was before him, the man’s infernal twinkle was showing in his eyes, “Severus, my boy, I was wondering if you knew where Harry was, he’s been missing for a while and I sent you to check on him,” Albus began. Severus internally growled, the man spoke of it so lightly of the hell Harry had to endure. “I did, he seemed fine, that was days ago Albus, I already reported to you about the boy,” he stated.

 

The half rimmed glasses were glistening in the light as the elder wizard tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, “I’m aware, but did you see anything? The Ministry states that the wards fell after you left, perhaps the person who took Harry was hanging around anyone,” Albus paused and looked over his glasses at Severus, “Suspicious?” he asked simply. There was a smile on his lips but it didn’t reach his eyes, Severus hummed and replied curtly, “No.” He was about to get up, he hated floo calls, they always hurt his knees and back, “Severus, you would tell me if you saw something wouldn’t you?” Albus asked. Severus paused and stared at him, his occlumency walls were erected and he strengthened them. “Of course Headmaster, now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish some Fever Reducer for Poppy,” he said quickly.

 

“Severus, I was wondering if you were in my office lately, there was some chatter among the portraits about an unannounced guest, something about the return of an heir,” he said slowly, Severus could feel Tom’s eyes boring into his back. The portraits knew something he didn’t, something very powerful and he made note to speak to them as soon as he turned to Hogwarts. “I see, I haven’t been Headmaster, perhaps it was one of those hooligans you call students,” he stated before stepping away.

 

Albus vanished without a trace and Severus turned to Tom. “I see Albus knows of my visit,” he said sheepishly. Severus walked over to Tom and slowly lifted the wizard’s chin and looked into his blood red eyes, they lacked their usual luster. He slowly placed his hand on Tom’s brow, there was a thin layer of sweat and Severus hissed with disapproval, “You’re burning up,” he stated as he held his hand out and a fever reducer zipped through the air to his waiting hand. “Have you been sleeping at all?” he asked curiously. Tom blinked as he leaned into Severus’ touch, “No, I can’t seem to, the demons, they keep coming back,” he said slowly. The Potion Master looked at him critically, “That an you’ve been exhausting your core, you need to take it easy,” Severus stated. Tom sighed and looked at him he sighed, “I haven’t been doing that much, I don’t even know why I’m so drained,” he commented.

 

Severus lowered his hands and shook his head, “Still, you should get some rest, I am going to start brewing two heritage potions, one for you and another for Harry, perhaps that will clear some of this up,” he stated briskly. He knew he had left no room for Tom to argue he had done so intentionally, he needed the Dark Lord to rest, and not be up and about until he could figure out what was going on. Tom nodded and slipped off the stool, “I’ll see you at dinner,” he said softly before leaving the lab, the glass doors clicked closed on his way out. Severus sighed and tucked a loose bang behind his ear before leaning against his work table and crossing his arms. A lineage potion was a lot of work, but so many things just weren’t adding up. He had to make sense of them somehow.

 

~~WL ~~

 

Draco was sauntering down the hallway, he was all too happy that Harry was finally up and about. He didn’t like seeing anyone look that deathly pale, or tired. Today was filled with lessons and oddly his teachers, mainly his mother, Tom and Severus didn’t mind allowing Harry to join in classes as well. Draco turned the corner on the ball of his foot and began to head back to the study, he had left to go to the bathroom and need a break from his mother. She was teaching both of them how to act, Harry was actually more civilized than she thought previously, which was also a shock for Draco. He could remember his mother chatting with him about setting up a program for Harry, to make him into a strong and powerful Potter Scion. Draco naturally didn’t protest, he couldn’t wait to show everyone just who his friend was and the power they could wield together.

 

Power, it was a driving factor for the Malfoy heir, his family had taught him a number of things. Tom often told Draco that life was tough and in order to succeed that the traditional views of black and white had to be put aside, that in reality there were two kinds of people in the world, those who seek power and those too afraid to. What was startling was the fact that the man was honestly the most powerful wizard in the world and could do more damage with a simple stinging hex than an adult’s cruciatus. It was amazing how silently and with the mere flick of his wand, Tom could command the world. He was a professional with mind magics and often gave Severus a run for his money. Tom had always been Draco’s role model for that, he was creative and clever, there was little the man couldn’t figure out. Tom was so good at manipulation that even his father fell to the man’s charms.

 

Severus on the other hand believed in a different kind of power, knowledge. The more a person knew and was able to execute the more powerful he became, everything else would fall into place. Severus wasn’t in Draco’s mind as reckless as Tom who wanted raw power, Severus was specific and often was more curious about refining such a raw thing than simply compiling it. Books were always in Severus’ hands which was what made the man dangerous, that and the fact that he could invent hexes and spells on a whim, that you never wanted to be on the receiving end of.

 

Lucius, his father was driving by one muggle expression, ‘Money makes the world go round.’ Well in the hands of Lucius Malfoy it certainly did, there was little Lucius couldn’t do with it. There were two sides of the Malfoy patriarch, there was the side where he would pull his wand and hex an offender to the next millennium and then there was the financial man. With the flick of his pen he could make things vanish, he could make or break a person by simply writing a check or walking into a branch of Gringotts. In both the muggle and magical realms he was a god, Draco was one of the few children who could brag that his father had a beautiful hand assembled Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale that was both wicked on the road and in the air. It was ridiculous the amount of power his father had, the only two people with more funds than his father were Tom Riddle and believe it or not the raven haired little boy in the library.

 

There was one more person who made a major impact on his life and that was Narcissa, his mother. Unlike the three boys who were into physically expressing it, she was into strategy. It was rare when Draco’s mother didn’t know whose hand to shake and who to dance with to get a law passed. For years he had watched his mother at Galas, every movement was calculated and she handed people as though they were assets, she didn’t care as long as she achieved her goal. He could remember watching her drape herself in beautiful silks, gems and those bare backed dresses which were the undoing of his father. She was a force to be reckoned with and believed that power wasn’t simply measured by money, knowledge or amount, but rather aptitude. How the way a man entered the room, spoke, dressed, and even moved was what determined his place.

 

Draco pushed open the doors of the library to see his mother standing before Harry, “Draco! Just who I needed, please explain to Hadrian the importance of a Wizard’s carriage,” she stated. Draco noticed a pleading expression on his friend’s face and chuckled internally, he remembered this lecture. He walked over to Harry and stood before him, “Have you ever watched the way my father walks? Or even Tom and Severus?” he asked. The three men had very different styles and mannerisms to their movements but they were prime examples of how one of high standing conducts himself. “My father tends to stride with purpose, yet has a hint of grace, his firm and stands tall at all times,” explained Draco as he squared his shoulders and strode with a little purpose towards the fireplace. He earned a chuckle from his mother for his act as he put on his mock Lucius snarl. Narcissa’s hand flew up to cover her mouth as her lips quirked into a smile. He loved making her smile, in Draco’s opinion his mother needed to do it more. He turned on his heel and looked at Harry.

 

“Uncle Sev, is different, he’s smooth, soundless and seems to float, especially in his school robes. He’s got a powerful stride but it’s a little smoother than my fathers,” Draco explained as he imitated Severus, his arms were crossed purposefully, his chin was parallel to the floor and his shoes didn’t make a sound against the polished hardwood floor. Draco had seen Severus in his robes a handful of times, but could remember how they seemed to billow as he moved. He stopped before Harry and smiled, he was a breath away from the raven haired boy, now he could see his emerald green eyes, they were breath taking. Ocean blues met emeralds and the boys stared at one another for a moment before Draco cleared his throat and took a step back.

 

He looked at Harry and smiled, “Uncle Tom,” he paused and thought for a moment, he had see the man move and honestly he didn’t move like a normal man, he moved with the ease of a dancer, not a ballet one but Jazz or Latin. There was something elegant with his movements, he was like a panther, elegant, smooth and powerful. His gaze was always intense, it could bore a hole through a person and see into their soul. He seemed to own the room, even when Lucius was in it. He paused as he attempted to figure out how to explain it, the way the man swung his hips slightly and that infernal smirk on his lips when he was up to no good. Draco smiled and stated, “Uncle Tom is smooth as silk, and honestly the man makes my father’s charms seem basic.” Harry looked confused and he could tell the boy had never watched how the three men entered the room. He sighed and rubbed his temples, “It’s as if he’s dancing even when he isn’t, and when he dances well let’s just say he’s got serious skill,” Draco said simply. He was beginning to have a difficult time explaining how Tom was the more fluid of the three.

 

Narcissa grinned and clapped her hands together before calling, “Tom!” Draco and Harry’s eyes widened as the man poked his head through the door, “Yes?” he asked curiously as he looked at the boys and then back to her, “What did they do?” Draco and Harry looked at one another and then to Tom, they weren’t that troublesome. The Malfoy scion crossed his arms and glared, “We haven’t done anything,” he stated.

 

Tom chuckled as he slowly walked into the room, yet something was off. His strides lacked his usual strength and his eyes looked glassy. “Tom?” Draco’s mother asked, he could tell that his mother was worried. Oddly the man looked worse for wear, it was as though he had spent several hours dueling Severus, which would reduce anyone to exhaustion. He paused and clutched his chest, his knees went weak and Draco watched the man begin to crumble.

 

In a flash Harry was at his side, holding him up, it amazed Draco at both how strong and fast the boy really was. “Uncle?” he asked with shining eyes as he looked up at Tom, Draco stared in shock, he had just freely called Tom his uncle. He paused and looked at Tom who seemed slightly stunned but his body seemed to sag, causing Harry to stumble. Narcissa was at his side and wrapped her arm around Tom’s waist and looked at Harry, “Let’s take him to the chaise Lounge,” she directed before she began to guide him to the plush green lounge. In moments Harry and Narcissa had placed the man on the plush furniture, Draco picked up one of the blankets and draped it over the man. He couldn’t help but become a little concerned, Tom never looked this tired. He may looked sleepless but never weak. Harry was standing before the man, unsure of what to do and looked honestly nervous, his hands were wringing and his green eyes were locked on Tom.

 

“I think that’s enough for today,” said Narcissa softly before calling a house elf and asking for Severus to be brought to her as well as Lucius. “Master Lucius is unavailable,” the elf replied quickly. Narcissa looked at him puzzled for a moment, “Where is he?” she asked and noticed Tom looked just as confused as he did. The elf looked Narcissa in the eye and replied, “He is currently at the Ministry in the Hall of Records, none of us can reach him.” She sighed and rubbed her temples, now that she thought back on it she could remember him mentioning something to that effect. “Alright just have Severus come, tell him Tom isn’t doing well,” she commented. The elf nodded and vanished with a pop, Harry ignored the creature and had become rigid. His slender frame seemed to lock up, his emerald green eyes were locked on the man laying before him and his black hair seemed a tad messier than before.

 

“Hadrian?” asked Draco slowly, his voice was soft as he placed a hand on the boy’s shoulders. He felt the other boy stiffen and jerk back quickly, his eyes were wide and he looked as though Draco were about to hurt him. Green eyes were wide with terror as he began to back away from the group. “Harry?” asked Draco softly as he lifted a hand only for Harry to flinch once more and take another step back. He felt a pain shoot through his chest and looked at the now terrified boy, he hadn’t seen Harry look this scare of him since he had arrived that Christmas Eve. His chest was heaving and he looked ready to bolt from the room. “Draco, give him space,” instructed the tired voice of the Dark Lord.

 

Silver eyes drifted to the figure who was slowly sitting up, despite Narcissa’s protests. “Harry, breathe, it’s alright,” he instructed softly, his voice was light and airy. Draco’s eyes widened a fraction, he had never heard the man speak this way before, he didn’t usually raise his voice but he was never this gentle, except around Harry. Harry shook his head and a hand shot to his chest, “What’s going on?” asked Narcissa in confusion. Tom held up an elegant hand and called once again, “Harry, no one will hurt you, it’s alright, you did nothing wrong.”

 

The boy squeezed his eyes shut as he began to visibly tremble, “Harry, come here,” Tom commanded gently as he lifted his hand, palm up as a sign of surrender. The raven haired boy looked nervous and stared at the hand, “I won’t hit you, come here please,” Tom reiterated. The boy wrung his hands and took several steps forward so that he was standing before the man. He closed his eyes and braced himself, it was only now that Draco understood what was happening, Harry was having a panic attack, as to why he didn’t know. Tom slowly leaned forward and wrapped a hand around Harry’s and gently pulled the boy onto the chaise lounge. Before the boy could blink his arms were around the young boy and he was being pressed to the Dark Lord’s chest. “It’s alright Harry, you did nothing wrong, I’m just tired,” he whispered reassuringly and kissed the top of the boy’s head. His red eyes fell on Draco as he waved the silver haired boy over. Draco complied and nodded as he slowly sat near them on the lounge and ran his fingers through Harry’s hair.

 

Now he understood why Tom was always carding his fingers through the boy’s hair, it was soft, very soft and seemed to sooth the young man. He watched Harry’s body slowly relax in Tom’s embrace and he sighed, “No one will ever hurt you again Harry,” whispered Tom reassuringly with a small smile on his face. There was a rustle of fabric and Draco looked up to see Severus standing there with a potion’s bag and a smile on his face. “I see we are getting along, now then, Tom if you planned on sleeping on the floor you could have just stayed in my lab,” commented Severus.

 

Harry lifted his head and stared at the man who was grinning and had his arms crossed, “I don’t want to use that mat you call a futon Severus, not all of us are so in love with potions that we will sleep in your lab,” commented Tom as he scowled. Severus rolled his eyes and hummed, before popping the cork of a potions bottle and passing it to Tom. Without being asked Harry sat up and looked at the pair. Tom arched a dark brow and looked at Severus, “How do I know you’re not trying to poison me?” he asked.

 

Severus’ eyes narrowed, “If I wanted you dead I would have done it already,” he stated. Red eyes fell on the bottle and he hummed, “Alright,” he stated as he lifted the bottle and gestured to Severus before knocking the bottle back and grimacing at the taste, “Honestly can’t you make those things taste better?” he asked. The potions master shook his head and chuckled, Draco remembered having that discussion with Severus. In reality he couldn’t change how the potion’s tasted because it would mess with the structure of the potion and change what they did. He had managed to make things like painkiller and fever reducer taste better but if someone was naughty he usually brought out the horrible tasting ones, well naughty students and Tom. “No,” Severus replied curtly before collecting the bottle and looking at the boys. “I think that should be the end of your lessons for now,” he commented.

 

Draco nodded in accord and nudged Harry, “Want to play a game of wizard chess?” he asked. Harry smiled brightly before looking at Tom and then to Severus, “Okay,” he replied before bounding across the room, trailing Draco. As they left the room Tom’s eyes slowly closed and Draco noticed how the man seemed to fall into a place of peace.

 

~~WL~~

 

Papers fluttered every where, books were flying across the room and it took Lucius everything he had to keep up with the pace of the archive. Prior to this keeper he had been working at a slower pace and didn’t have to worry about getting hit with anything. Madame Bones clearly knew something he didn’t, the place was impossible to navigate and he had gotten lost several times over just looking for the material. It wasn’t until later that he realized the stacks moved, it was irritating to watch the archive change shape and books shuffle themselves on the shelves. It was this constant shuffle which clearly protected the archive even from itself. He slowly looked up at the ceiling and stared at the intricate locking mechanism made entirely of stone over his head, he could see the teeth and grooves of the gears and the tumbler, they glistened in gold and silver, he had seen the inside of a muggle lock before but this was beautiful in a new sense of the word. The curvature of the gears, the elegant carvings on them and the attention to detail in the wards and enhancements made Hogwarts gates look simple. The tables even floated and he felt as though he had fallen down the blasted rabbit hole and entered Underland.

 

Lucius groaned as he swept his hand through his hair, he honestly couldn’t find the Charter or even a hint of it, which made him wonder if the school even had one. The Ministry kept copies of everything, from birth certificates to drafts of speeches it was all there it was just a matter of finding it. “Where on earth is the Head Archivist?” he asked in frustration. The last time he had been in it he was constantly under the scrutinizing eyes of the Archivist himself. Yet this one was no where to be seen. He looked around curiously, there was no way the archivist wouldn’t be around, and he practically oversaw everything in the building.

 

He was walking down the aisles and took several turns only to see the hem of a beautiful emerald green robe flutter around the corner. He paused and quickly turned to see a graceful figure in a pair of towering black stilettos and a short skirt black skirt. His jaw hit the floor as he watched the robe sway and the figure dance with a pair of massive head phones resting on her head. His eyes traveled up her legs, which looked as though they went on for miles, and stared at her slender hips as they swung. Her hands were in the air as she stepped gingerly, her feet seemed to move on their own as he body bent and flex, he felt his body heat up as he watched her spin, her robe billowing as she did so, her fingers traveled in the air, summoning tomes and pages, she looked them over and with the flick of her wrist they were zipping across the place.

 

Her blue eyes were locked on the pages and her lips were curved in a grin as she gripped the large black cans on her head with one hand, a strand of her brown hair had fallen from their hair sticks and Lucius was about to criticize her before he noticed the official crest of the Head Archivist on her robes. “No way,” he breathed as he watched the young woman roll her hips, it was as though he was watching a wave run through the young woman, it started from her hips, rolled through her abdomen, up her chest and then through her hands. He watched as she turned swiftly and stopped, her toes kept time as he fingers danced in the air commanding books wordlessly. She stopped when she noticed him and smiled before slipping the massive head phones off her head and letting them rest around her neck and stopped her CD player.

 

“Muggle invention, it wasn’t too loud, was it?” she asked innocently, her teeth caught her lower lip and now Lucius could see the similarities between her and Narcissa, “No, I was looking for the Head Archivist,” he stated. The young woman grinned, she couldn’t possibly be over 25, she had a killer figure and not a wrinkle visible. “Well you’ve found her. You must be the man Madame Bones was laughing about. Like my new entrance?” she asked with a grin before allowing the materials to swarm her again. With the snap of her fingers the music began to play, it was loud and echoed through the archive, it was upbeat and sounded like a bulk of the underground punk music Lucius had caught Severus listening to. It was loud, electrifying and made even him want to move. “I will admit it was a shock,” he replied as he watched her smile, he hadn’t noticed them before but she was wearing a pair of blue tinted readers with silver frames. “I see. What can I do for you?” she asked as she scowled at a document, whipped out a self inking quill, corrected it and sent it on its way.  The motion was so effortless Lucius was about to trip over her cloak, he didn’t have that kind of elegance at his desk.

 

“A Charter for a school,” he replied slowly and he watched as she looked out of the corner of her eye, there was a grin on her lips as she commented, “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, many have looked for the Charter but few have come here,” she said simply. Her voice was airy and filled with mystery as she looked down another aisle, a black tome flew off the shelf and Lucius had to duck to avoid getting hit in the head with it. “Careful, I’ve been told I have a magnetic personality,” she commented. Lucius swept a lock of his hair out of his face and straightened his robes. He could tell she was enjoying this as she opened the book, it seemed to hover before her as she tapped her fingers on her hip, “Nope, not what I’m looking for,” she commented and waved the book away. He watched it zip through the air and fall in the proper place.

 

“You are correct in assuming that the school has a Charter, the thing is, Hogwarts is so old I have to really look,” she commented, ignoring to bewilder look on Lucius’ face, his lips were parted and he was about to ask her how she knew and she touched the side of her nose with her pointer finger and winked, “I always know.” He scoffed at this, no one was all knowing, it was impossible there was simply too much to know. He turned the corner and was about to say something when she looked at him, “You think it’s impossible, I understand your reasoning but there are many things you could never understand,” she commented as she snapped her fingers and a series of letters in green envelopes with black ribbons and silver seals flew into view. Lucius gaped at the handwriting of Salazar as she examined the letters, “I’m connected to this archive, everything it knows I do, it’s strange really, it s a link I can tap in times of need or when I have to find something,” she explained.

 

Lucius nodded, now it didn’t seem as odd to watch her work, “So you call these things to you?” he asked curiously as he watched her fold the letters again with the snap of her fingers and have them fly in another direction. “In a way,” she replied cryptically, “I don’t have to really do anything this place just knows, I can’t explain it any other way.” She paused and waited for the isles to finish shifting and he noticed that the title on the end of the stacks was Hogwarts Black Years, “How?” he asked. She chuckled as she stroked the shelf affectionately, “I told you we’re connected,” she commented. Lucius looked at the shelves and was about to pull a time when he remembered what she said and looked at her wearily. Now it seemed far more personal, if he had known such sensitive information before he wouldn’t have been rough on the materials or complained about the previous Archivist.

 

“You can touch them,” she said gently as she conjured a chair and took a seat, the music seemed to fade as she crossed her ankles and took a moment of rest. Lucius looked at her curiously as he watched her lean back in the seat and close her eyes, “Are you alright?” he asked cautiously, he was honestly hoping that he hadn’t hurt her some how. “I’m fine, I can tell the previous archivist wasn’t as open as I am, sometimes when things are lost I have to summon them, which requires a little more concentration,” she stated as she slipped her feet out of the heels and curled them under herself. She slowly began to relax and Lucius slowly pulled the tome out, he figured his silence would be appreciated and then it occurred to him, he never asked a question out loud.

 

“I can hear you, funny thing about this place its how we ensure that no one is breaking the rules,” she stated simply and smiled at him, “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.” Lucius nodded and opened the book, he watched as she entered a state in which nothing could ever affect her. He turned a few pages only for her brow to furrow and her eyes to snap open, “Odd, I can’t reach it,” she mused as she rose from the chair and slipped back into her heels. Lucius snapped the book closed and placed it on the shelf, “What does that mean?” he asked sternly, he was under the impression that she would always be able to find the documents and now to see her unable to find something made him understand just how bad it was.

 

“It means that its not here, which also means we’ve been breached, the only way to pull a document from the archive is to fill out a request. The request is processed and then placed in a log, unless… unless it was the archivist who pulled it,” she mused before rubbing her temples, he could tell this was giving her a headache. Lucius looked at her, “How old are you?” he asked curiously. Her eyes snapped open, he figured if he could distract her that maybe she would be able to distract herself from the pain. “Now or when I was made Archivist?” she asked slowly as she looked him in the eye. Lucius froze and couldn’t seem to understand just what she was saying. She looked young but that question confused him, “I was 23 when they made me Archivist, but now I don’t know, I haven’t kept track,” she replied simply before slipping her hands into the pockets of her robe.

 

Her blue eyes looked around the room and she sighed, “I’ve been here so long that days don’t seem to matter anymore, I know the date and yet I don’t care, because as long as I’m in here I’m safe,” she explained as she looked at the lock above her head, “As long as I’m in here I’m immortal.”

 

Lucius felt his head spin she wasn’t making sense, “But you’re real, this doesn’t make sense, how can you live forever?” he asked. She chuckled as she slipped off a black silk glove and held her hand out to him, “Go on,” she invited as the nobleman slowly reached out and went to touch her fingers only to discover that they were ice cold. He blanched and looked at her with wide eyes as he grabbed her hand with both of his and went to check her pulse. Only to find it was nonexistent, her skin was as cold as ice and he slowly released her hand.

 

“I’m dead, like all the others I had to die before I became one with the archive. The archivist isn’t made by choice, we were placed here to save us. From the moment we are born we are destined to die young,” she explained as she slipped her hand back into her glove. Lucius shivered, he couldn’t understand how a person like her had lived that life knowing she would die young, “What was your name?” he asked slowly. The Archivist paused and looked at him nervously, clearly it had been a while since anyone asked, “Selene, Selene Roxanne Flamel,” she replied.

 

The blonde’s jaw hit the floor, “Flamel as in the son of Nicholas and Perry Flamel the famous Alchemists?” he asked nervously. That explained a great deal, she was powerful even as a child but it didn’t explain why her parents allowed her to die, “I was weak at birth, they didn’t know what to do and I was dead before they could finish the stone,” she explained. Lucius looked at the young woman before him, she had grown up loved but died young. “My parents visit me, and I can visit them as well, I just can’t be gone long,” she explained with a smile.

 

 “What are you?” he asked, she didn’t look like a corpse she wasn’t rotting. She smiled and replied softly, “A piece of very rare magic, now then,” she said and clapped her hands together, “Someone must have removed the Ministry Copy, I’ll have to check the logs,” she commented before spinning on the spot and vanishing.

 

Lucius sighed, he had just lost the woman who was leading him through the stacks, he had a hard enough time getting to where he was before he saw her, now he was really lost. He groaned and was about to shout when he heard a voice behind him, “It seems it was taken out by the previous archivist and given to the current Headmaster, how odd, the previous Keeper allowed it to leave,” she commented. Lucius jumped out of his skin and stared at the witch perched on the book case behind him, her legs were crossed and she seemed very comfortable on her new found perch. He shook his head and glared at her in confusion, she slipped off her glasses and hummed, “The Keeper is the portrait upstairs, the Archivist is me, I work as overseer, caretaker and master of this place. The Keeper ensures that nothing leaves,” she explained.

 

He nodded and looked at her, “So Albus has the Charter, this only makes things more difficult,” he stated as he crossed his arms. Now he had to figure out how to get out of the archive and to the Headmaster to demand viewing of the charter, which would entail him being able to get to the school. He nearly smacked himself in the head and looked at her, of course she would know how to get out. Sometimes he wondered what inclined him to think like a Hufflepuff.

 

 “Thank you, how do I-” before he could finish he felt himself spinning and then falling. “FUCK!” he shouted as he felt himself fall.

 

He blacked out before hitting the floor harshly and landing on a hard and cold stone floor. His body was numb and ached all over, he should have known she would just throw him out. Something nudged his side calling him to consciousness once more, it was harsh and anything but gentle, his aching body didn’t appreciate it. Lucius could faintly hear a child asking, “Is it dead?” He wrinkled his nose with irritation, he had been reduced from the Honorable Lord of the House of Malfoy to an “it” in seconds flat. “Someone get a teacher!” called a young girl, well he must have been in a school and it was clearly co-ed since they were looking for a teacher.

 

A black leather oxford nudged the wizard once more, a little harder, and Lucius growled, “Kick me again, and I’ll hex you into next Tuesday,” he hissed. There was a gasp as students moved back, he could hear the soles of their shoes against the floor. There was a hum, “Nope, **he** ’s alive and from that statement alright,” commented the familiar voice. Lucius sat up and looked into a pair of familiar onyx eyes. Severus growled and shot a cold look at all of the students “Why are all of you still here, a majority of you are already failing my class, I suggest you spend as much time regarding your books as you did suffocating this man,” no one moved and Lucius watched Severus smirk before shouting, “10 points from each house for every student here still gawking!” he commanded.

 

Lucius watched with amusement as they all dashed off to their proper houses. Severus spun around, his black robe billowed as he did so and he offered a hand to the blonde noble.

 

 “Welcome to Hogwarts, now what the hell are you doing here, Lucius?”

 


	7. More Questions than Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts yearns for something, something long since forgotten and strange events occur involving the castle and the most dower resident of the castle. Severus finds Lucius on the floor and brings him back to his quarters, its there he learns of Salazar's task and is asked to do something else. Destiny has many things in store for him, now he just has to grab it and hope Albus hasn't found a way to destroy it.
> 
> Harry is left to his thoughts and questions if he belongs, he doesn't believe he does in the grand Estate, surrounded by love and warmth. Yet it isn't Narcissa who confronts him and comforts him, but a wizard who's birthday coincides with the New Year. The one person who thought he would never have a family or a home, Tom.

Lucius groaned as he attempted to get up only to collapse back onto the floor, “Fucking Archivist, a little warning would have been nice,” he hissed as he struggled to get up again. He had no idea that his robes were so heavy that it would make it impossible for him to get off the cold and hard floor which was only making him more and more irritated. He saw a hand with long potion stained fingers before his fingers and took it rather reluctantly, “Not a word,” he hissed to the grinning potion master. Severus hummed and continued smirking, “Of course not, after all I didn’t know you were attempting to become a pancake rather than a wizard, I always thought it would be unbecoming of a Malfoy. Then again you guys are quite entrepreneurial that testing the waters of Gryffindor stupidity isn’t out of mind,” he shot. If it weren’t for the fact that Lucius didn’t have the strength to stand on his own he would have released the man’s hand and shot a rather nasty stinging hex in his direction.

 

“Says the man who has left both boys with my wife, she’ll have them dancing and playing instruments in no time flat,” he commented. Severus crossed his arms and smirked, Lucius froze and realized just why he was so happy at the thought, “Severus, that’s just cruel,” he stated. Severus hummed and shrugged, “What was I supposed to do, I’m a responsible teacher and the wards on my private stores went off, those dunderheads could have gotten into something dangerous,” he said smoothly as he attempted to looked innocent. Lucius scoffed at this and shook his head before chuckling, “This is revenge for the boys making you look like a Smurf isn’t it?” he asked.

 

Severus shot a glare at the man, his black eyes looked soulless and it was clear that he didn’t want other students to hear of the event which had transpired. Lucius held up his hands and shook his head, “Alright, alright, I won’t speak of it again. You have to admit it was impressive it did last several days,” Lucius said as he pointed at Severus and smiled at the memory. He could remember it as clear as day, the Potion Master slamming the door of his office open holding Draco by the ear, the massive blue smurf in neon robes which was supposed to be Severus was far too much. “Payback's a bitch,” Severus said under his breath as he grinned merrily.

 

Lucius seemed to stumble and clung to Severus, “Seriously though what on earth are you doing here?” he asked coolly. Lucius felt himself being lead to the dungeons, away from the Headmaster’s office, which was probably a good thing considering the man couldn’t stand on his own. He had been leaning heavily on Severus most of the way, he was thankful that the potion master hadn’t pointed it out and that the students avoided the man like the plague. They paused before the familiar portrait of Salazar Slytherin, “Ah Lucius it’s good to see you again,” the portrait greeted. Lucius stiffened and looked up to see a pair of very familiar emerald green eyes which looked strikingly similar to Harry’s. “Like wise,” he grumbled.

 

Severus arched a brow, “Any luck on finding my chambers?” he asked curiously. Severus stiffened and looked at the pair in confusion, “You mean the Chamber of Secrets?” asked Severus in confusion. Lucius and Salazar looked at him and nodded in unison, they both looked hopeful and Severus sighed, “No clue.” The other two wizards moaned and looked at one another, “Have you told him?” asked Salazar as he reached over and began scratching a black snake under the chin affectionately. His long fingers did so with care as he stroked the large snake with care.

 

Lucius looked at Severus who stared at him expectantly, “Not yet, I just finished with the Archivist,” he replied hesitantly. Only for the founder to chuckle lightly and smirk with glee, “What?” hissed Lucius with irritation only for the man to smile crookedly and fold his hands in his lap. “What did you think of her, an interesting one no?” he asked. Lucius’ grey eyes widened, the man knew, he knew what the Archivist was like and gave him no warning. “You, you know how I got here don’t you?” asked Lucius with irritation, his head was hurting again and he was beginning to be nauseous.

 

He felt himself double over, only for Severus to catch him, a moan left him as his hand shot up to his head. “Oh, the world’s not supposed to spin when I’m not Apparating or using a Portkey,” he mumbled as he closed his eyes in hopes of stopping the feeling. He felt Severus hold him up and then ask, “Salazar, can’t we take this in my chambers, he can’t stand and he’s getting rather heavy, not to mention that he’s cumbersome.” If Lucius was feeling better he would have snarled, however at the moment he also understood that the faster they got out of the hallway the less likely other students would find them and spread rumors about the potion master having a heart. For the dark bat like potion master of the dungeon couldn’t possible have one, he was too cold for that. Salazar hummed and swung open, “I’ll see you in a moment, please send Harrow away, he’s obnoxious as it is and may tell our beloved headmaster what I’m up to,” he stated.

 

Severus slipped into his chambers and replied, “Certainly. Harrow, vanish!” The other potion master sighed and vacated his frame promptly, which allowed for Salazar to sweep in with ease. This time he had left his friends in the other frame and looked around at the backdrop of the frame curiously. He lifted a few pages of notes which had been left out for the sake of the painting and examined book titles. “Jonathan Carter Harrow, one of these days you will explain why you admire him when your work trumps his, Severus,” said Salazar before turning around.

 

Severus ignored Salazar for the most part and placed Lucius on the sofa before the fire place, with the flick of his wand the hearth came to life and he looked at the blonde lord before him. “Would you like something for the pain and your stomach?” asked Severus after a moment. Lucius could tell that the man had been observing him carefully; he must have looked horrible for the Potion Master to offer. “It would be nice, but not essential,” he replied simply as he put and hand over his head and closed his eyes. Black eyes narrowed before he held his hand out and the pair of phials flew through the air into his waiting hand. He snatched them out of the air and handed them to the blonde noble.

 

Lucius nodded his thanks and uncorked them before drinking both. He grimaced at the taste, while it wasn’t as horrible as the ones Severus gave to children it was still unpleasant. “Who were the ones who broke into your stores?” asked Lucius curiously as he waited for the nausea potion to take affect. Salazar looked at Severus and asked, “Someone managed to break your wards? That’s impressive, not even the Headmaster can.” Severus sighed in exasperation before calling, “Sage!” With a pop the elf appeared she was dressed in the official robes of the Prince family with the crest of the Potion’s Guild and Severus’ personal seal. There wasn’t even a hint that the elf belonged to the school, which made Lucius grin, only Severus could have his own elf at the school that wasn’t in the clutches of the headmaster.

 

“Yes sir?” asked the elf beautifully, unlike others it spoke clearly and bowed a touch. Lucius was impressed and for a moment contemplated having Severus spend time with his elves, perhaps they could pick up a thing or two. “Please bring us a tray with both coffee and tea,” he said simply as he rubbed his temples. “Yes master, Colombian or Turkish?” asked the elf smoothly. Severus paused for a moment and replied, “Turkish.” The elf nodded before vanishing, coffee was one of Severus many vices, it was honestly what made it possible for the man to function. Without it, Severus honestly didn’t look alert enough to be allowed near a caldron. “The Weasley Twins,” Severus said after a moment. Lucius’ jaw popped open as he looked at him, the Weasleys were a massive family but didn’t cause trouble, excluding the twins.

 

“Aren’t they second years?” asked Lucius after a moment, this only caused Salazar’s jaw to drop. Severus hummed and nodded solemnly, Sage appeared once again with the requested drinks and a plate of biscuits before asking, “Is there anything else?” Severus shook his head and the elf vanished once more. “Yes they are,” he replied after a moment before picking up the cup of coffee and helping himself. “Impressive, why are you so worried?” he asked. Severus looked at Salazar who now seemed genuinely interested, which meant he had no choice but to tell them. He took a swig of coffee and welcomed the rich flavor as it hit his tongue and soothed him a touch. Lucius always admired the fact that Severus could drink the stuff black, while he wasn’t even able to stomach black tea.

 

The blonde sat up slowly and added a generous amount of cream to the tea before picking it up and taking a sip. His eyes widened a little, it was perfectly brewed, he was going to get Sage to the mansion to help him with his elves. “Simple, they’re trouble! Honestly they should have been named Trouble and Terror, rather than Fred and George,” Severus seethed, “They are constantly pranking Slytherins! I just wish they would prank their own house for once!”

 

Lucius looked over to see Salazar looking at him for a moment before asking, “Are you talking about the red heads? The ones who managed to cast a charm and make all the caldrons in your classroom dance during your session with the first years?” Lucius looked at the potion master in shock, to do something like that required skill, “Not only did they dance but they shouted insults and threw confetti,” he stated briskly. Salazar stared at Severus, his eyes were wide with shock as he looked at the man, “These are second years? You’re certain?” he asked after a moment. Severus nodded and looked at them, “Yes, they signed their work,” he stated. Lucius was chuckling at the look of irritation on Severus’ face, the twins showed a great deal of potential to do such advanced work at such an age, even if it did irritate the snarky potion master.

 

“How come they weren’t sorted into Slytherin?” asked Salazar in confusion, Lucius wondered the same thing, that was a very Slytherin thing to do. Severus hummed as he looked at them, “They come for a long line of Gryffindors, it would have been nice to have them in Slytherin though,” he commented. Lucius nodded in agreement, even though it meant breaking the rules, with skills like that surely they would have blossomed in the noble house of the snake. He felt his head begin to clear and he sat up straight, before crossing his legs smoothly.

 

“I met the Head Archivist, I couldn’t find a thing on your chambers Salazar but I learned something interesting about where the Charter might be,” he said after a moment, his eyes never left the founder who was now looking at Lucius intently, his brown hair was tucked behind his ear and he nodded for the blonde to continue, “It would appear that the copy the Ministry kept was taken out several years ago, by the current Headmaster. It didn’t make sense to the Archivist since it’s impossible to remove the documents without the Keeper knowing, especially Charters,” he stated. Salazar looked puzzled, clearly the portrait knew how the archive functioned better than he did, which honestly wasn't that startling. Salazar had been around longer and probably was there when the archive was created.

 

Severus looked more confused than ever, “Charter?’ he asked after a moment and Lucius remembered he hadn’t explained to anyone what he had been looking for over the past few days. He turned his attention to the professor and began, “All schools have Charters, these are basically an agreement between the school and the Ministry as to what the school is able to do, and how it will be run. The Charter holds the fundamental laws of Hogwarts and how it is to be run since it was created,” he explained, “However, the Charter was lost and it would appear that the current Headmaster is breaking a number of rules.” Lucius paused and allowed for Severus to digest this, potions, defense and tactics were Severus’ field of expertise but when it came to law, he was a little slower than Lucius, not as slow as the average man but still needed a moment to adjust.

 

“How does that help us?” asked Severus after a moment. Lucius looked over at Salazar, wondering if the portrait would jump in, which thankfully he did. “Severus, do you know the principles in which this school was founded?” asked Salazar after a moment. The Potion Master glared at him, Lucius was confused for a moment, he honestly thought the founder would explain the Board of Governors. “Yes to teach magic to all those who are willing and able to learn it, regardless of name, title, blood or wand, we teach for a better future,” he said after a moment. Lucius gaped, he hadn’t heard that in a long time, he had heard the motto chanted over and over again but not the final line of the contract which every teacher signed when they agreed to teach at the school. “Magic is neither black nor white and it is our duty to teach both, and even the gray, we do not determine their destinies they determine their own,” he continued.

 

Lucius was quiet, that wasn’t in the contract and then he realized what Severus was reciting and his jaw dropped, “We give them the tools, foundations and skills they need to go into the world and make a name for themselves. We do not hinder students, we do not oppress them, we help them shine. The houses allow for students to blossom with their peers but not to serve as walls preventing them from socializing with others. It is our duty to protect, teach, demonstrate, and practice magic,” he finished, his voice was proud and strong it echoed in the room as though he had said it in the Great Hall. Lucius could feel the castle hum and stared at the walls as they trembled a little at the resuscitation of the oath, it was an oath every teacher made promising that they would do everything in their power to teach young witches and wizards. It was as if the castle was humming in approval and overjoyed to hear those words spoken once more.

 

“Yes Severus, those are our principles and yet only light is taught, not the dark. You don’t teach the children that there is darkness and gray areas, you don’t teach them how to defend themselves,” Salazar said slowly, “I know you teach them the curriculum designed by the Board of Governors, however it isn’t adequate and I’m sure your colleagues would agree.” Lucius stared at Salazar, clearly he knew more than he was saying, “As you know there is a Board of Governors which is supposed to advise the Headmaster and aid him in making sure that the original Charter and all of Hogwarts rules are upheld. However over the years this group of individuals is lacking several important members,” Salazar explained.

 

Severus was sitting pensively before looking at the founder and asked curiously, “Who?” To this Salazar smiled, it was warm and Lucius stared at the man in confusion, “The heirs of both the Founder and the Pravels,” he replied. Severus stared at him, it was the same way he remembered staring at the portrait when he had learned of this. Yet Salazar didn’t smile at him, “In addition, the Headmaster is to be selected by the Sorting Hat, which hasn’t occurred since Armando Dippet took his post. This right was suspended in fear that someone would attempt to force the hat to name a dark wizard as the Headmaster,” he said with ease. That part Lucius didn’t know and part of him was wondering why Salazar had even agreed to being the guardian of Severus’ chambers, none of the other professors had ever had a Founder guarding their door and yet Salazar was his.

 

“So if we find the charter we can return the school to the way it should be?” asked Severus. Salazar nodded and replied with a smile, “In a way, yes, it will be different of course since times have changed but I believe it would be for the best. Besides I would love to hear whose name the hat shall shout.” Lucius took another sip of tea and began to mull over a few names which would probably be considered, but then again the Hat was unpredictable, and to be honest there was no way he would be able to think of every possible candidate.

 

He placed the delicate white cup on the saucer once more and turned his attention to them, “There is one more issue, if Albus has the charter than it’s somewhere in the school and we don’t have the resources to go looking for it,” commented Lucius which brought them all back to the present. Severus hummed and crossed his arms before looking at them, “Perhaps we do,” he said simply, “Draco and Harry will get their letters over the summer. They might be able to find the one thing that none of the others ever could, the Charter.”

 

Salazar and Lucius looked at one another, “That’s brilliant but a little desperate,” he commented. The blonde nodded in agreement with Salazar, it would be very dangerous for the boys to go looking through the castle for such an important document, not to mention that they still had to find Salazar’s Chambers for what ever it was that would help them. “I’m afraid I have to cut this short, I have to find a paternity potion and brew it for Tom, and I still have to track down those ingredients which were stolen,” Severus briskly stated, Lucius nodded when he noticed Salazar glaring at him. “Honest, you didn’t tell him?”

 

Severus arched a brow and crossed his arms as he glared at Lucius, “Tell me what?” Lucius swallowed hard before replying, “Salazar has a potion which will do the job, the problem is that it’s in his study, there aren’t any others that will work as well.” Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “You mean in the Chamber of Secrets which none of us knows where it is,” he commented. Lucius smiled nervously and replied, “That’s it.”

 

He watched the Potion Master lose composure for a moment, he looked as though he were about to murder the blonde, “Of course it is, I guess I have to go looking for it,” he mumbled. He was about to turn on his heel when he noticed his floo go off, hastily he stuck his head in the fireplace, “Severus, do you know what potion would cause a student’s tongue to become stuck to the roof of their mouth and have boils?” she asked. Lucius did everything he could to stifle a snicker, obviously the found it. “Why?” he asked after a moment, dreading the reason which the woman would soon tell. “Mister Fletch, Mister Milligan and Miss Harkinson are all sporting a new look,” she replied. Lucius looked at Severus who now looked very angry, “I’ll come to the infirmary at once,” he said simply before pulling his head out of the hearth. “It appears several snakes have been pranked again by the Weasley Twins,” he commented before slipping away.

 

Once Severus was gone Lucius looked up at the portrait and sighed, “What do you know?” he asked pointedly. There was something Salazar wasn’t saying, it irritated him, “Quite a bit, but some things Mr. Malfoy should be left to reveal themselves,” he stated before vanishing from the frame. Lucius groaned, he disliked it when people became cryptic, it always caused more issues. He paused after realizing he had to somehow get home to his wife, who was probably furious. “No time like the present,” he commented before slipping out of Severus’ chambers and heading toward Hogsmeade to the Apparition Point.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

~~xXx~~

 

The sun was warm as it flowed in through the windows, Narcissa had left the boys to read for a while, so that she could tend to some business with the elves. Harry was becoming more and more accustomed to the lifestyle of the Malfoys, he was honestly grateful that they were willing to teach him and look after him. The Dursleys never did, Harry felt a little bad for taking advantage of their kindness, he felt like an intruder in their world. Their world was beautiful, over the past few days Draco had shown him nearly every room in the mansion, each one of them had a theme and Draco explained not only the items in it but the importance of ancestry. The boy was honestly one of the smartest he had ever met, despite the constant nagging to do pranks, the boy was honestly a nice kid.

 

Harry stared out the window at the snow blanketed grounds, the sun made the mansion glow, it looked like a setting from a movie, like everything else in the house. It was honestly perfect, Lucius was always home by 5 and they ate dinner, a dinner which Harry didn’t have to cook and he could enjoy it with the Malfoys and Tom. Tom was always in the study, the door was almost always open, he loved curling up in an armchair by the fire and reading, he didn’t have to talk to the mysterious man to feel happy, he was content by simply being in the same room as him. Narcissa was always dressed in an elegant dress, she would teach them everything from etiquette to proper enunciation and the importance of blood lines. She spoke beautifully, but never criticized muggle borns about not having their blood, she was more upset with the fact that they didn’t adjust to their world, they brought their beliefs in and suppressed tradition.

 

Yet the one who taught the boys about their future school wasn’t Tom, Lucius and Narcissa but Severus. Harry later learned that Severus’ true title was actually, Professor Severs T. Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Somehow whenever asked about the school the man’s black eyes would light up as he spoke of the houses and many classes offered there. Harry smiled as he thought of the man's deep and lush voice humming in his ears, as he painted a picture of the castle. On more than one occasion Severus had called it his home, and to be honest with the amount the man knew about its history and the majesty of the place, Harry wouldn’t mind calling it home as well. He was nervous for a moment as he looked at the steadily growing mountain of books on the floor that he had read. Draco was curled up in a comfortable chair dozing off, rather than reading. The massive slate Wolf Hound was curled up at the boy’s feet, Harry smiled as he looked at Shamus.

 

He sighed as he slowly touched the glass in the windowpane; it was cold under his fingers, so much had happened over the past few days. He had been welcomed into a family, which he didn’t see as his own. Part of him wondered when he would be returned to the Dursleys, and for one of them to say happily that it was all just a joke. _“Hatchling?”_ hissed a familiar voice. Harry looked over on the floor and grinned, _“Hello Nangini, isn’t it cold to be wandering around on your own?”_ Harry asked curiously, he wasn’t about to be blamed for the serpent getting a head cold.

 

She slowly lifted off the floor and slithered onto Harry’s lap, she was cool to the touch but smooth like a river stone, _“I was wondering where you where, Tom’s being his boring elusive self again and he won’t pet me,”_ she remarked. Harry chuckled he had grown accustomed to listening to the man’s familiar rant, she had quite the sense of humor, clearly something she had picked up from her master. _“Sorry to hear,”_ Harry replied as he stroked the massive snake, she blinked before settling against his chest, _“You’re quiet are you feeling alright? Master has been worried about you more than himself, so much so that he forgot to look after himself, silly man,”_ she commented. Harry chuckled he loved hearing Nagini’s thoughts on Tom, she always had an interesting take. He could tell that she was enjoying basking in his warmth as she curled up on top of him.

 

 _“Tom’s just protective, how is he anyway?”_ asked Harry curiously. Nagini blinked before replying, _“Boring, haven’t I said that already?”_ she asked in a huff. He smiled a she looked at the serpent before him and nodded, he just was hoping she would tell him more. She was being vague, which usually meant that Tom wasn’t in the mood for talking either. _“You did, I guess. What should we do?”_ asked Harry after a moment. Nagini imply lifted her head before looking Draco, _“We could scare the blonde,”_ she suggested. Harry suppressed his chuckles, he didn’t think Draco would appreciate Nangini’s opinion of scaring him. _“No, let’s let him sleep, he’s been odd lately,”_ Harry replied.

 

 _“Odd? How so?”_ she asked as Harry stroked her head absentmindedly and looked out the window, _“Like he’s hiding something, I don’t know maybe I’m reading too much into it. I feel like an intruder already,”_ he commented, he didn’t know why he was telling her, but she seemed like the only one who would listen, even if she was Tom’s familiar. _“Why? They love you hatchling,”_ Nangini said simply as she wrapped her tail around Harry’s arm in an attempt to soothe him. Harry continued to gaze out the window and watched as the sun begin to lower itself in the sky, _“That doesn’t make me feel like any less of an outsider,”_ he commented as he looked sadly out the window, they were Draco’s family, not his, he was a Potter, not a Malfoy or Riddle or Snape even, they would never be his.

 

 _“Hatchling, just because they aren’t blood doesn’t mean they can’t be family. You don’t have to be related to be family,”_ Nangini explained. Harry felt his eyes sting as he dropped his hand from the snake. _“If they don’t have to be, then why did my relatives treat me so badly?”_ he sobbed before picking Nangini up and placing her on the floor. The snake looked at him in alarm as Harry curled up in a ball, _“I just wanted to be loved, and yet they couldn’t love me. Now I’m intruding on someone else’s family, I feel like a misfit, that piece that should have never been in the puzzle box,”_ he choked as he felt his tears pour down his cheeks. They gave him gifts, dressed him, fed him, and somehow loved him, yet he felt as though he was abusing them.

 

His chest hurt, he loved Draco, he looked up to the boy and his family. Even Severus and Tom had a place in his heart, but it wasn’t the same, he was a boy without parents, the boy who was picked on for not having a mother and father, a freak. He just couldn’t understand why they loved him; he didn’t even know how they could when no one else did. Harry clutched his knees and buried his head in them, his eyes closed as sobs racked his body, he was careful to remain quiet, and he didn’t want it to look like he didn’t appreciate what they were doing for him. His eyes burned as he felt salty tears slide across his lips, it hurt to be there.

 

Suddenly there was warmth and he smelt sandalwood and spices, a pair of strong arms was wrapped around him and a firm chest was by his head. _“Shush Harry, you’re meant to be loved. You are so loved Harry,”_ a deep voice whispered, they were soft words, filled with love and tenderness. Harry could hear them echo in the man’s chest and stiffened, he was still afraid of being hit, especially since he was crying. _“Harry, we love you so much. You’re not an intruder,”_ the voice continued, it was sweet and seemed to make Harry slowly uncoil, he looked up to see a pair of concerned red eyes looking down at him. He was in Tom’s embrace, it was a nice feeling. The man reminded him of a mother, more than he did of a father. He was stern in public but affectionate and emotional in private. _“Tom?”_ he asked curiously, only then was he aware that they were speaking in Parseltongue.

 

The older wizard nodded and ran his fingers through Harry’s messy hair, _“I’m here Harry,”_ he whispered softly. The man did look better than before, he had more color in his face and looked stronger than when Harry had caught him that morning before he fell. He could tell that the older wizard was kneeling on the floor, yet he didn’t complain about his knees. _“Why do you love me?”_ he asked slowly. He watched as Tom stared at him, it looked as though Harry had managed to break his heart. _“Children are meant to be loved and what those people did to you should have never happened little one. Never,”_ he said sternly.

 

Harry smiled a little before he threw his arms around the older wizards neck and held the man close, of all the people in the manor, he knew Tom wouldn’t lie to him. He couldn’t, “How we go drink some hot chocolate in the music room and I’ll play something for you,” he suggested gently. Harry’s green eyes widened, he had heard Narcissa play cello, but he had no idea Tom played anything. He thought the man wasn’t into muggle inventions. “You play?” asked Harry with a hint of excitement as Tom stood up, only now did Harry notice the man was in a beautiful long black robe and wearing a black dress shirt and jeans, he looked relaxed and comfortable in them. He took Harry’s small hand in his own and lead him into the Music Room. Sitting in the middle standing proudly on a platform was a beautiful jet black grand piano, its lid was up and there was a piano stool before it.

 

Tom hummed as he pulled a piece of paper from his robe, tossed it on the floor and transfigured it into a stool beside the piano stool, “Take a seat,” he commented as he slipped out of the long black robe and draped it over a chair in the corner. Harry smiled as he watched the wizard crack his fingers and stretch like a cat before taking a seat on the stool. His sleeves were rolled up and his fingers hovered above the keys before he decided on a tune to play. “All my favorite things,” he said with a grin as he began to tap out the familiar rhythm. It was soft and very familiar, Harry hummed as he watched Tom’s hands moves slowly over the keys, it was soft and delicate, it sounded more like a flower bending in the breeze, until Harry heard an interesting chord. His eyes widened as Tom grinned and with a quick transition he had left the world of tradition behind.

 

Slender fingers danced up and down the keyboard with ease, a sound which Harry recognized as Jazz filled the room, as he watched the man’s fingers walk, run, jump and mingle with the keys. It looked more like he was tickling the keyboard than he was playing. He couldn’t help but smile as a grin appeared on the older man’s face, his fingers were doing all the talking and his feet were hitting the petals with precision. He was using the entire range offered on the keyboard, Harry’s jaw dropped as he listened to the improvisation on the theme again and again, only it was different each time they went around. Tom’s red eyes closed as his shoulders relaxed and he began to lean into the keys, Harry grinned as the man seemed to look younger. His attention to detail and sound made Harry smile, Tom was nearing the end as his smile broadened, he loved the feeling of sitting next to a musician as they played, it was like magic, powerful and different.

 

Now Harry understood what Draco had meant by Tom’s style, this sound, Jazz it was very Tom. It was smooth and rather cool, much like the musician himself. He listened to the last notes float in the air, and the silence that filled the room after the final chord was released. Harry hesitantly brought his hands together and watched Tom’s eyes open, he jumped a little at the sound which made harry stop immediately, in fear that he had done something wrong. Only for Tom to flash him a broad smile and gently muzz his hair. “I’m glad you liked it, don’t tell Cissia I was up and playing, she’ll kill me,” he commented.

 

“Too late,” said a dark voice from the doorway, Tom cringed and smiled a little nervously as he looked at the woman standing in the doorway, she had an eyebrow lifted and looked at Tom with a scrutinizing gaze. He was about to rise when she shook her head and pulled up a chair, “You’re lucky you’re cute and a good pianist, otherwise I would have hexed you for coming in here,” she said smoothly. Harry watched Draco’s mother settle in the chair by the side and look at Tom expectantly. “What?” asked Tom in confusion as he looked at her, her blue eyes fell on the piano. “Encore?” she asked.

 

Tom hummed as he set up again, a small smile curved his lips as the notes seemed to fall from his fingers with ease. Each one was soft and delicate, Harry closed his eyes and listened as the progression seemed to take on a life of it’s own. They seemed to float endlessly until he heard a very familiar series of notes, his eyes snapped open as he looked at Tom. “You know usually this is played for the birthday boy, and not by him,” he remarked. His playing was delicate and playful as he lightly brushed his fingers across the keys. The mood changed as he began to play with the same progression of notes, it changed into something lighthearted and mischievous. Harry listened intently, he had heard similar tunes played in movies, one of them was Casablanca, he could remember the scene where Sam played the piano in the bar.

 

Tom’s fingers tickled the ebony and ivory with skill as he made the song entirely his own, Narcissa smiled as she snapped her fingers rapidly, four clicks and the wizard picked up pace. Tom was off to the races, and there was nothing holding his fingers back. Harry watched Tom’s fingers run across the keys as he slipped into ragtime. It was impressive to hear, as the notes seemed to collide with one another roll on the floor. He listened to the notes on one hand complete those of the other, all the while Tom’s eyes were closed. He made it look easy as he threw things together on whim, the only semblance it had was those simple notes of Happy Birthday.

 

He grew ever so dramatic, banging away on the keys, leaning into them passionately. His brow furrowed as though he were shouting at someone. His fingers slammed into the keys, as he pressed on one of the petals; at that point Harry was sure his solo could be heard through the entire house. He could feel the vibrations of the piano travel through the stool and he looked at Narcissa who was sitting quietly admiring the man.

 

Suddenly the piece became quiet; Harry listened as Tom relaxed and leaned away from the keys. A familiar melody in the form of a waltz played, it was different, there were still trills and trembles as Tom tickled the keys, but the notes were so different. They resolved and sat just right in the ear. Harry watched Tom slowly hit the final chord and let it hum in the air for a moment. He was certain at that moment that, that was the best version of the song “Happy Birthday,” he had and would ever hear. It was joyous, bright, exciting, mischievous and loving all at the same time. Narcissa clapped happily which made Tom smile, “Thank you,” he said smoothly. Harry looked at Tom and noticed how much younger he looked out of a suit and sitting at a piano, it made him wonder just how old Tom really was.

 

It wasn’t until recently that he realized wizards were way older than they looked. They seemed to live forever, or at least what seemed like forever for him. Armando Dippet, former Headmaster of Hogwarts, from what he had read lived until he was 123, it was startling and the man didn’t look a day over 60. Tom sighed and shook his head, “I’m not as old as Dippet,” he commented. Harry jumped and looked at Tom with wide eyes, he had a feeling he looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. “Harry, my soul may be 64 but my heart and body are 27, 28 at best,” he said simply. This only confused him more, Tom simply sighed and drew Harry into a sideways hug. Harry felt the man’s chin on his head, “One of these days you will understand,” he replied.

 

“Tom?” asked Harry only for the man to hum in reply, he seemed to be far away again, a common occurrence for the man. “Happy Birthday, and Happy New Year,” he said softly. Tom slowly looked down and smiled broadly, a true smile. Harry felt his heart flutter as those crimson eyes gained a sparkle, and his lips parted to show a row of sparkling white pearls, his brow relaxed and his mannerism transformed completely as he ruffled Harry’s hair. “Thanks kid,” he replied with a large goofy grin. Harry could only imagine what a smile like that did to the ladies, it must have made them weak at the knees. “Wait if you’re really 64 you lived during the 20s?” he asked curiously. Tom chuckled as Harry began to connect the dots.

 

“I was a child,” he replied simply. Harry stared, that meant the sound he had just heard was real Jazz, “You grew up with Jazz,” he whispered in awe. Tom was grinning from ear to ear, clearly he didn’t play piano for people frequently, even though Harry thought he was fantastic. “Yes I did, I grew up learning Ragtime, blues, river boat, I remember during World War Two hearing the soldiers playing records of so many different Jazz musicians and dancing like they didn’t have a care in the world,” he commented. Harry listened intently as Tom seemed to slip into another world, a time before this in a place that seemed to be a tale of old. “When I attended Hogwarts the girls still went for Quidditch players with no brains. That changed when I demonstrated Jazz in Muggle Studies and then tried out for the Quidditch Team,” he explained.

 

Harry stared at Tom, even during his schooldays he was a charmer. “Suddenly girls went for musicians, and then I decided to play Quidditch and was made Seeker, after a that I dedicated myself to my studies and became top of my class,” he mused. The raven haired boy stared at Tom who was staring at the piano keys, “All the while I still tickled the ebony and ivory from time to time, Slughorn always liked it,” he commented before turning his attention to Harry. Crimson eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked at the boy and tenderly touched Harry’s face. “I was born in an orphanage this day, alone and scared,” Tom said softly.

 

Emerald green eyes widened as he looked at Tom, he had a hard time accepting the fact that this man, who was elegant, charming, powerful and well versed was an orphan like him. “How could someone not want you?” asked Harry bluntly. This caused Narcissa to snicker behind her hand. Tom looked irritated for a moment and then glared at Narcissa who was smiling brightly, she seemed to take a great joy in Tom’s interactions with Harry. “Simple, my father was a dead beat and my mother’s family disowned her,” he replied, “I know what it’s like to be treated poorly and be told you’re a freak day after day.” Harry was quiet as he looked at the bitterness cross Tom’s face, he honestly looked as though he hated the very thought of it. Then again, he probably did, Harry didn’t like remembering what his Uncle and Aunt had done to him.

 

“But you aren’t Harry, you never were,” said Tom gently as he cupped Harry’s face with his hands, they were cool to the touch and oddly soothing, “Neither was I, we were just a pair of boys seeking love and every child, no matter who they are deserves that.” Harry looked up, his heart fluttered at Tom’s words, he did understand. He understood why Harry was uncomfortable, he didn’t want to impose or hurt someone without realizing it, but it also hurt because he didn’t think he was worthy, only for Tom to tell him how wrong he was. Harry’s hands played with the hem of one of the sleeves of his robe. It was a lot to take in, to hear that he deserved everything the Malfoys were giving him, but there was still one issue, he didn’t have a family. As much as he loved the Malfoys he would always be a Potter.

 

“Harry, we will figure out your guardianship, I’ve been trying to look into it but I may have to ask Lucius to take on another task, as much as I don’t want him to,” Tom said after a moment as his large hand slipped over Harry’s smaller ones to stop his fingers from fumbling with his robe. Those same fingers which showed him the beauty of sound, they were so gentle, it made him feel warm and content. “I know, I just didn’t get you anything for your Birthday,” Harry said sheepishly. He wished he had known it was Tom’s birthday he would have tried to make him something or convince Draco to get Narcissa to take them out to buy a gift. Tom chuckled lightly, it was a beautiful sound, “Don’t worry, having you here with me is more than I could ever ask for,” said Tom brightly as he looked at Narcissa, “Besides, Narcissa always gets me a cake regardless of whether I want it or not, and Lucius is always getting me a gift. Severus usually buys me a bottle of Firewhisky and we spend the night playing chess. My birthday is another normal day, just there happens to be cake after dinner.”

 

Harry liked the sound of that, a small and simple celebration, which didn’t make a fuss, all the extravagance was removed and it was simply a day of friends and family. He found that far more appealing than Dudley’s extravagant parties which he always helped with. He always thought they were excessive and he honestly hated that day because it meant an extra round of beatings and a ton of cleaning.

 

“That sounds nice,” said Harry after a moment.

 

~~ WL ~~

 

 

Severus walked down the hallway, he had just finished dealing with the twins, he had to hand it to them, they had talent, even if they usually targeted his house. McGonagall was terrifying as always and secretly he was very happy to be out of her scrutinizing gaze. He remembered that gaze all too well after having being on the receiving end of it after the Marauders had gotten him in trouble. He turned the corner and touched the stone only for a shock to hit his fingers. He yanked his hand back and looked at his fingertips, he had seen a spark of blue light hit his fingers, it felt like electricity and he could still feel the tingle from it. “What the?” he asked as his black eyes narrowed and he reached out to touch the wall again, he placed his palm on the wall and felt the castle hum and a tingle run through his palm, it didn’t hurt, it was inviting in a strange way.

 

Severus closed his eyes as he felt centuries of magic flow through his fingertips, he could hear the whispers of portraits and wizards of old through the halls. The flurry of ideas, theories, lectures, principles, spells, all of it was there. He could feel the cold water of the loch on top of the Slytherin dorms, the wind caress the towers, the powerful earth beneath his shoes and the fires of every hearth in the castle. The torches were burning and the magic hummed, he could feel it tingle through his entire body, and every fiber of his being was basking in the power from the castle. He could hear the murmur of books in the library, the scratching of quills and even the elves in the kitchen. It was a rush as the magic seemed to flow, the shifting staircases, the trick steps, the tapestries, the secret passages, the moving rooms, it was all there and then it was gone.

 

Severus opened his eyes and looked at his hand as he slowly pulled it away from the castle, “What was that?” he asked curiously as he looked at his palm. He had never felt anything like that, he had read as much as he could on the castle and yet no one mentioned that happening. His shields were still in place and yet he had felt and heard the castle, it was an amazing experience. There was one thing he did understand though, Hogwarts was alive, and the concept baffled him.

 


	8. Riddles

Valentine's Day had come and gone and oddly enough for the resident Potion's Master, Severus, there oddly wasn't a single incident involving students poisoning one another and having to make antidotes for students due to botched Love Potions, which were clearly against school regulations. Since Lucius had taken Harry into his home. However, he could tell that Albus was beginning to suspect that something wasn't right and was attempting to locate him. Whispers flew through the castle faster than owls carrying the morning post. Even students were attempting to guess where the boy was. En members of the staff were guessing where Harry had been at this point.

 

Now Severs was worried if Albus really looked he would not only find Harry, but he would also find Tom and learn what side he really was on. There was always the risk of the Headmaster finally realizing just what was going on. Severus quickly turned right and stalked down the hallway, the dim glow of the torches against the cold stone walls of the castle made it seem as though it were later than it actually was. His head was spinning as he fought of what could possibly happen to Harry if Albus were to discover just who he was with. It had been months since he had last managed to escape the castle and see the boy.

 

Severus paused at a massive window, it towered above him and he stared at the cast iron frame which had been used to hold the glass in place. His eyes drifted out over the dark landscape, over the still lochs and into the distance the moon hung high in the night sky, a stark silver disk against the pitch black night. He slowly leaned against the cool wall and felt the harsh cold stones against his back, they were unforgiving physically, and yet, when it came to energy the walls seemed to hum and warm to his touch. "What does this all mean? What am I supposed to do?" he whispered softly, his deep voice hung in the air and echoed off the walls of the castle. The past few days it had proven him repeatedly wrong. His head was spinning as he attempted to understand just what was occurring.

 

Severus leaned his head on the wall and lazily continued to gaze out the window. Black eyes closed for a moment as he attempted to comprehend just what was going on. Salazar's questions from months ago still hung loosely in his head as he remembered an airy voice, it float in the air weightlessly and was just above a whisper. The dower professor slowly turned his attention to the entity which possessed the voice.

 

Floating in the pale moon light, a pale figure hovered above the floor, with heavy chains around his wrists and a mangled chest. A broad brimmed hat sat upon his head with a feather sticking out of it. "Barron?" Severus inquired as his eyebrows lifted. The Bloody Baron had always been Slytherin's House Ghost, he had long haunted the halls protecting students and assisting the Head of House, as well as keeping Peeves in line. Severus' blood ran cold as his gaze fell on the familiar phantom. "Is something wrong?" he asked nervously. Even though the castle had been quiet for a few days, the Weasley Twins were long overdue to execute a prank.

 

The Baron hummed and replied softly, "No, you seem distant recently," he remarked. Severus lifted a brow and through the phantom a questioning glance. "How so?" he asked slowly, his eyes never leaving the Baron. He could let the meddlesome Headmaster think something was wrong, it would have catastrophic results and destroy all of Harry's chances of having a normal life. The Baron snorted and shook his head, "Simple you haven't been docking many points from Gryffindor recently, and now you take long walks through the corridors even when your shift to do round is long over," he replied, "You haven't wandered this much since you were a student."

 

Severus folded his arms, his hands slipped into his sleeves to shield them from the nippy air, it was hard to believe that spring was coming with how cold it had been recently. He looked at the ghost before him and hummed, as always the Baron was far too observant for his liking. "Perhaps I have been a little more restless than usual as of late," he remarked, knowing full well the Baron would glare at him with disapproval. "Perhaps?" the Baron mocked, Severus stifled a groan. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with the irritating phantom. "Why are you even interested in my affairs?" asked Severus snidely. As far as he was concerned no one in the castle would care if he were alive or not, let alone happy.

 

"Severus, despite what you believe there are people in this castle which care greatly for your health and wellbeing," the Baron commented. Severus' paused and looked at the phantom before him in confusion, he didn't believe the ghost for a second. The Baron sighed and whispered, "Touch the wall," his tone was commanding and harsh. The Potion's Master heavenly brushed his fingers against the wall, it was cold for a moment beef he felt a tingle travel through him, similar to the first incident. His ears rang as he felt centuries of magic course through the walls of the castle and into his fingertips.

 

"There are few in the world who can feel that, Severus, so very few," remarked the Baron. Black eyes closed as he felt the warmth of the castle's magic envelope him like a warm woolen blanket. "Follow me," the phantom commanded before gliding down the hall. Severus reluctantly pulled away from the wall and followed the ghost, "As you now know the castle is very much alive, and as a result she has a consciousness," he explained.

 

Severus stopped in his tracks, he had heard of such enigmas mentioning texts but didn't think it were actually possible. He always thought I was a wizard's imagination getting the better of them. "Baron, mind telling me just where we are going?" he asked after a moment as he climbed another flight of stairs. The ghost chuckled rather than replying, clearly the infuriating ghost knew something. Severus stared at the entrance to the library, " Baron I have plenty of books of my own at my disposal in my office and there are few that the librarian will even willingly perjured for me, so a trip to the Restricted Section is also pointless," he remarked stiffly.

 

The ghost simple hummed and slipped through the door, "You'd be surprised," the phantom commented. Severus growled as he opened the door, he hated dealing with the ghost when he decided to be an enigmatic spirit rather than the direct phantom he knew him to be. The library was dark and the pattern of the window panes of the castle was cast onto the floor as the eerie blue light of the moon slipped through it. The work tables were vacant and the chatter of working students, which frequently filled the air, was missing. Yet, even in their absence the large hall was anything but quiet, it was filled with a buzz of whispers. They swirled around the dower man as though they were gnats, "What?" he questioned as he continued to walk down the hallway, his footsteps echoed as the buss of whispers continued to dominate the air.

 

" What is that sound?" he demanded as he covered his ears with his hands the voices were getting louder and louder, hearing voices regardless of what world it was, was never a good sign. So many wizards had gone insane from practicing advanced and dark magics that it was very possible for Severus to have fallen prey to such a thing as well. "Listen Severus, lower your shields and just listen she will break them," the Baron commanded. The voices grew louder till they were shouting, thousands of voices at once screaming at the top of their lungs, all demanding his attention. His head was pounding as he attempted to push them out, he felt as though someone was smashing his skull in as they attempted to take control of him. He hissed in agony as a white light flashed before his eyes.

 

So many voices, and they were joined by even more, talking, screaming, shouting, whispering, mumbling, wailing, seething, arguing, sobbing voices, all raging in his head. Severus fell to his knees, he ears were ringing, head throbbing and he pulled at his hair in a feeble attempt to distract himself from the flurry of voices in his head. "SILENCE!" he shouted as he crumbled to the floor. It was agony, "Listen to them Severus, focus on the one who is whispering the softest," the Baron commanded, his tone left no room for argument. Tears fell from Severus' eyes and cell to the floor below.

 

"I can't," he whimpered. He was clawing at his ears and his teeth were on edge, it was just like when Albus had first brought him into his office, so many voices he wanted to strangle them. "Yes you can," the Baron commanded. Severus was about to lash out once more when he heard it, that voice it was soft and soothing, it sounded more like singing than whispering, humming in his opinion. "Good, focus on it," the Baron advices. Severus pushed the rest of the voices away and began to follow this voice, it was light and airy, her tones made him feel safe and welcome. He gravitated to it like a small child does toward his protector. It was sweet and soothing, making him temporarily forget the agony he had been in.

 

"Open your eyes," the ghost said softly. The whispers had all but disappeared and finally he heard a soft, musical voice ring in his ears, "Sev, open your eyes," it whispered. His eyes shot open as he stared at a woman hovering just above the floor before him. His stared at the golden hem of her silver robes, and slowly looked up. His eyes widened as he stared into a pair of silver eyes with long flaxen blond hair, her skin was pale and her lips looked as though they had been tinted pink from a glass of merlot. She smile warmly and tilted her head, "Hear me now?" she asked with a mocking tone.

 

Severus was confused for a moment as he slowly straightened himself out and looked at the woman beret him, he could see a lion, serpent, badger and an eagle had been embroidered on her silver robes in the corresponding house colors. "Who?" asked Severus as he slowly got off the floor and looked at her. "I see our history department is severely lacking if you don't know who I am," she remarked. He shook his head and went looking for the Baron who had long since gone. "I am the castle," she said simply as her silver eyes met a pair of black ones. "That's not possible," he whispered as he slowly began shaking himself out of his stupor. She giggled and straightened out r robes before gesturing for him to take a seat. "Is it that difficult to believe?" she asked.

 

Severus took a seat in a soft chair and looked up at her, she didn't seem intimidating as he thought she might have been of she had been both human and closer in representation of the castle. "Severus there is so much to learn, so much you don't know and so much to see," she commented as she slowly stepped toward him. He simply watched as she moved, "The founders created you?" he asked. The woman chuckled and shook her head, her hair swaying as she did so, "No, not on purpose at least, this castle was built with magic, it mortar contains one of the strongest pieces of magic I have seen," she explained. He stared at her in confusion and watched as she stood so close to him that he could feel her robes against his fingers.

 

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously, rare magic had always fascinated him and to learn that he was looking at a piece of centuries old magic enthralled him. "Severus what is the first kind of magic we learn to do?" she asked. The Potion's Master was silent as he looked at her, thousands of spells ran through his head, "A levitation spell?" he replied after a moment. A smile curved her lips as she shook her head and replied, "No, it's far more simple, it's something children often so," she supplied, yet the hint only confused him. "They wish," she said after a moment.

 

Severus gaped at her, there was now a grand centuries old castle was held together by something as simple as a wish, a desire that seemed so impossible that to even have it granted was an act of magic. "A wish to teach students all they can about magic, and send them into the world equip to chase their dreams and make them reality," she replied. Severus slowly swept his hair back and the words of the Headmaster's sacred oath came to mind, it was a wish and, "A promise," he whispered aloud, causing the woman to nod encouragingly. "Pure magic, with no guile," she explained, "after that the magic began to accumulate and I came to be, a guardian for children who wished, a home for those who desired one and a companion for those who needed one the most," her voice rang in his ears.

"Companion for whom?" he asked softly.

 

"The Headmaster," was her reply before she could say more he felt something wet and cold hit him. Severus jumped and food himself face to face with a rather worried looking Minerva. He was laying on the floor of the library soaking wet. The sin spilled through the windows and students had gathered around him as though he where an exhibit. His face fell and he whispered, "Was it all a dream?"

 

"Was what a dream, Severus?" asked Minerva curiously. The Potion's Master hummed and got off the floor before silently casting a quick drying charm. "Nothing, shouldn't you be prepping for you next lecture, Minerva?" he shot before glaring at the few students who dared to remains in the library with him. She glared at him harshly and crossed her arms, yet, said nothing instead she turned on her toe and walked away. The students whom had gathered fled as he adjusted his robes.

 

He stalked out of the library and felt a familiar tug, it was as though the castle was begging for him to open his eyes, and he was quick to head down to the dining hall. Sitting at the center of the table was the familiar Headmaster, whose blue eyes fell on him. Albus shot him a look which in reality could only be interpreted as a summons. He walked up to the table and stood before the Headmaster. "Good morning, my boy," the elderly wizard chimed. Severus nodded and replied with a great deal of respect, "Headmaster."

 

The elderly wizard smiled lightly and looked at him, "I heard you were found on the floor of the library this morning, are you alright?" he asked simple, his eyes twinkling and Severus could tell he was enjoying himself. Severus nodded and replied, "I must have been more tired than I thought." He had no intention of telling the man anything else, he didn't want Albus snooping even further into his life than he already was. "Well let's not make it a habit, next time it may not be Minerva who finds you but a certain pair of Gingers I know," he replied with a chuckle.

 

Severus hummed and turned his attention to his black coffee, he didn't say more, he needed to wake up first. "Any news on Harry?" asked Minerva curiously. Severus perked up slightly at the question, he was hoping that Albus had abandoned his search for the boy. "No, however t strangest thing has occurred, his Aunt and Uncle were found this morning, brutally murdered in their own home," he replied nonchalantly. The Potion's Master's blood ran cold, he knew for a fact that Tom hadn't sent anyone to kill them, as much as he desired to. His mind was spinning and he avoided making eye contact with Albus to prevent the wizard from noticing it. Minerva gasped and stared at him wide eyed, "How?" she asked cautiously.

 

The Headmaster sighed and looked at her, "The Aurors are looking into it, however, we can safely say the act wasn't done by another human, remnants of stark magic were detected around the home," he replied. Severus froze, he hadn't pulled a wand when he was there and even if he had more than enough time had passed for their signatures to fade. He closed his eyes and took another sip of black coffee, schooling his features and attempting to control his mind as he did so. "They were rather fowl muggles, I'm not surprised really," she remarked.

 

Severus looked at the pair and asked, "What did his uncle so for a living?" Albus looked pensive for a moment before replying, "He worked at a company, why?" Severus looked at the elderly man and replied, "Perhaps it was an enemy from work," this made both pause a look at him curiously. "You did say they were rather foul muggles, so it's possible," he commented. This seemed to appease them, "I see what you mean. Perhaps it was a rival," Albus mused before picking up a scone and taking a bite.

 

The rest of the meal was quiet, but Severus could tell that Albus was up to something, he was far too lost in thought to not be. Part of him wondered if it would be a good idea to floo Lucius but the more rational part of his mind told him not to. Albus would likely be watching his fireplace, and even going through his mail. Severus growled as he turned the corner and began his typical path to the dungeons. It was going to be a very long couple weeks before Spring Vacation, he could tell.

 

~~WL~~

 

The house was relatively quiet, save the sound of guitar strings being plucked on an acoustic guitar. The notes drifted softly through the air as the musician strummed. It was a lonely sound, it was as though the musician was wishing for another musician to join him. Tom hummed as he listened to the lonesome guitar, his feet glided across the floor and he smiled as he watched Draco play, his fingers caressing the strings and his eyes closed, perched on a tall wooden stool before several towering glass windows was the boy. The beautiful golden guitar rested on his lap and the green strap hung over his shoulder. His rather small hands cradled the guitar's neck with care as he strummed again, hunting for just a hint of inspiration. His blonde hair glowed in the light of the early morning Spring sun, making it look more golden than blonde. Tom slowly slipped into the room when he heard a tap of the same four notes Draco had been repeating. Sitting on a chair not too far away was a familiar raven haired boy with bright green eyes and a large smile on his face.

 

Draco's silver eyes snapped open and he smiled at the boy who was sitting on the folding chair Narcissa usually used to practice cello. Tom leaned in the doorway and listened to Draco gently strum, only for Harry to tap out a reply on t guitar's neck. Draco grinned as they did several rounds of this, before the young man finally began strumming, the sound of two guitars playing in harmony and teasing each other filled the air. They coupled one another and seemed to flow effortlessly, neither boy stuttered as they played. It was continuous and passionate, two things that Tom found endearing.

 

The truth was Draco never played unless Narcissa was gone, and apparently he had taught Harry the basics. He watched as the two grinned brightly and came to a stop, Harry chuckled, a sound that warmed Tom's heart. A month ago the boy was scared of being an intruder and somehow making them hate him, and now there he was sitting with Draco holding a guitar and beaming with joy. The scars were gone and at a glance Harry was a normal boy, free to live life as he pleased without a care in the world, and somehow Tom liked that. He was well aware that everyone in the Wizarding World was hoping that the young boy would kill him, but Tom felt that he would never be able to raise a wand to the boy.

 

"Tom!" cried Harry as he set the guitar down and bounded toward the Dark Lord. Tom grinned as Draco got up and stood before him, "You two sound wonderful," he commented, he looked around curiously and then to Draco, "Where has Narcissa vanished to?" he asked curiously. Usually the blonde Lady Malfoy could be found tutoring the boys, or in Severus' opinion torturing them. "She wanted to redo the master bedroom and came across a beautiful Mahogany bed and wanted furniture to match," Draco replied.

 

Tom chuckled as he imagined the beautiful Malfoy matriarch in jeans and a tee shirt running from furniture store to carpenter looking for someone to make a set. While Narcissa was a skilled healer, she was also a top interior designer, a rather difficult job and it wasn't unusual to see her walking with fabric samples and paint chips.

 

Tom smiled and looked at the pair, they were in semi-formal dress without robes and an idea came to mind. "Harry how would you like to go out today and go shopping?" he asked curiously. He had Draco's attention in seconds, "You are invited as well Draco," he remarked grinning. It had been a while since he was out and about and couldn't resist the opportunity of taking them both out to see Diagon Alley. He knew Harry had yet to see it and was well a are Draco wanted some new books and robes. "Sounds like fun, but I don't have money," he replied. Tom stared at Harry in shock, clearly he didn't understand that he didn't have to have his own money, "Harry, I was going to cover the coat, you're just supposed to have fun," Tom replied.

 

Harry tilted his head and looked at the man before him, he looked even more confused than when he learned he was a wizard, not a freak. "You don't have to want or need for anything, I will see to that," he stared. A smile curled the boy's lips, "Okay, but after we go to the alley can we go into London?" he asked. Tom looked over at Draco and smiled, that would give him the perfect chance to give Draco a head start on muggle studies. "I don't see why not, Draco would you like to see muggle London?" asked Tom curiously.

 

Silver gray eyes widened in shock as he pointed to himself, "Me?" he asked softly. Tom nodded a chuckled, "Yes you, I won't take one without t other, that's not very fair," he explained. Draco smiled brightly, "Yes," he replied quickly. Tom nodded and looked over the boys, "Okay, why don't you two grab jackets while I change into something a little less… suspicious," he stated and with a quick step he vanished from view. In a flash he was in his room rummaging through his closet, honestly he was happy Harry even suggested muggle London. It had been a decade since he was last there and couldn't wait to go back. Clothing flew through the air as he looked for the one thing he peed he still had, there was a pop as one of the Malfoy elves appeared before him. "Master is there something you be needing?" asked the elf, he could tell she was terrified as continued looking through his wardrobe, "Do I own anything that isn't black? My god, my wardrobe looked like Sev's!" he exclaimed.

 

He certainly had to amend that as soon as possible. He looked over his shoulder and sighed, "I need a pair of jeans and button down that isn't black," he stated. He continued looking through his wardrobe when he finally found it, "A HAH! I knew I had them still!" he chirped as pulled out a pair of charcoal gray tight skinny jeans. A smirk curved his lips as found his brown oxfords as well, now all he needed was the shirt, blazer and scarf. Before he could say more the elf appeared once more she was holding a mint green shirt, silver scarf and black single button blazer, as well as a brown belt. Tom stared at the stack, he didn't own any of those things, "Where?" asked Tom softly as he reached out and touched the silk shirt. "Master Severus, apparently he bought them for you but never gifted them," the elf explained. It was clearly the case too since they were all in his size. He blushed a little as he gently collected the clothing from the elf, "Yes, well, thank you," he replied, causing the elf to smile, and bow before vanishing once again.

 

Part of him wondered just why Severus would have somehow for him in his size, then again the man seemed keen on taking care of him and making sure he was both taken care of and provided for. Tom was quick to shimmy into his new clothes and smiled at his reflection, there was one more thing he had to do. He pivoted and smoothly wandered into the bathroom, he looked in the mirror and hummed, his hair was styled in its normal strict style complete with what he called choir boy part. Red eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked in the mirror. There was no way he could take the boys out with that hairstyle, he would attract all the wrong people, salesmen who were interested in his money and what ever diplomats who happened to be in the alley.

 

Tom slipped his hands through his hair when he spotted a small round container labeled hair putty, there was a note on it from Draco saying, "Use sparingly." With a twist the white cap was off and he stared at the white cream in it. He swept his fingers into the tub and quickly rubbed it between his fingers through a moment beret raking his fingers through his hair. He sculpted it to make it stand up and smiled as he began sculpting it, his fingers spiked a few tips and lifted it before finally sweeping it forward. A smile curved his lips, he looked younger than before, gone was the strict dark lord and in was the young carefree wizard.

 

Tom slipped out of the room and quickly made his way back to the boys, he smiled at Harry who was fiddling with a tie. "Hadrian, where do you think we're going?" he asked curiously. Large green eyes looked up at him in confusion and he replied, "Out?" Tom smirked as he stood before the boy and gently tugged the tie away from the boy, "Today is about having fun, not who can hang themselves with a tie," he remarked as he tossed the piece of fabric into another chair. He hummed as he perused his lips, he didn't want Harry to look like a straight laced rich kid, "Shirt tails out, unbutton the top button, put on a pair of jeans and your Chuck Taylor's," he instructed.

 

Harry stared at him in confusion, "Don't worry, you'll be fine, just wear what you want," he commented. The raven haired boy grinned brightly and quickly dashed off to change. Draco sauntered in he was dressed in a pair of form fitting jeans, his hair was shaggy and he had chosen a black v-neck sweater with a green and silver scarf, he had a pair of gold rimmed aviators in hand and Tom smiled. Draco always had a good sense fashion, thankfully Narcissa had gifted her son with a sense of it, everyone knew Lucius was oblivious, if it weren't for her Lucius would be parading around in some of the appalling outfits.

 

Harry slipped back into the room, clearly he had taken Tom's advice but taken the liberty of adding a fedora, making Tom smile, perhaps Harry wasn't a lost cause. He quickly made his way to the door and picked up a pair of keys, "Let's take the Mercedes," he remarked. Harry stared at him, he clearly had no idea how much money the Malfoy's possessed. It was strange really, since Harry had money as well being the sole heir of the Potter line, and yet he was unaccustomed to being near expensive things, even after all of the time he had spent in the mansion he was still unaccustomed to Lucius' massive amounts of spending.

 

Tom walked into the garage and slid into the driver's seat as the two boys sat in the back. Tom grinned as he started the car, "Since this is Harry's first time in the alley, we are going to stick together and the car will be parked near the Leaky Caldron," he explained to Draco who seemed confused about a car being driven to the alley, as approved to simply flooing to it. That and to be honest he loved driving, he honestly couldn't wait for Albus to vanish so he could drive his Jaguar, until the he would have to be patient.

 

The drive was filled with Draco telling Harry about Diagon Alley, he covered everything from the apothecary to the bookseller and even the quidditch supply shop. All the while Tom continued to watch the pair, his eyes gleaming with joy as he listened to the two of them. He was happy to see the nervous raven haired boy finally make friends, and Draco was such a gentleman and quite adventurous as well he could see them having a lifelong friendship. He turned the corner of another small street and parked just opposite of the Leaky Cauldron. "Harry, I'm going to show you the entrance of our world from the muggle, just in case you need to get here one day and can't get to the floo," he explained.

 

Harry nodded as he listened to Tom intently, prepared to commit the information Tom would give him to memory, this made the Dark Lord smile a little wider, Harry was always so enthusiastic about learning new things. "See that pub over there?" asked Tom as he pointed to the pub across the street. It was rather shady looking, the paint was dull and even from there Tom could tell it was chipping. A large black sign in the shape of a calderon hung above the door and the windows looked like they desperately needed to be washed. "Yes," Harry replied nervously.

 

He could remember t first time he had been shown the infamous pub as well, and even during his tender years as a child it didn't look much better. "That is one of the major entrances to our world," he explained as he got out t car and waited for the boys to join him before locking it. Harry was hesitant to even walk toward it, and that was when Tom reminded himself that even after a few months Harry was still nervous around people, the Dursleys had done a great deal of damage to the child's mind, and his ability to trust strangers was severely hampered. It had taken months for Harry to trust anyone in the house, excluding himself. "Don't worry, no one will harm you, now stay still," he whispered as he looked around for prying eyes, once he was certain the coast was clear he slipped his wand out of his sleeve and hit Harry with a manor glamour, just something to hide his famous scar.

 

"What was that for?" asked Harry curiously as he looked at Tom in curiously, his emerald green eyes were wide and filled with a certain amount of awe, which was normal after watching an adult cast a spell. "To hide your scar so people don't stare so much," he replied, which was the truth, well in part, the other reason was he didn't want people pinning Harry's disappearance on the Malfoy family. Harry nodded and said softly, "Thanks Uncle," making Tom's heart swell. He couldn't explain it but he loved it when Harry considered him family.

"Of course," he replied with a smile before ruffle Harry's hair, it was soft and silky, it felt more like a bird's wings. Harry grinned broadly, "Come on Harry," cried Draco with a hint of excitement as he wrapped his hand around the boy's and began to enthusiastically drag him toward the pub. Tom smiled as he walked behind them, locking t car as he walked away, watching the two boys keenly.

 

In moments they were entering the pub, it was radically different, as always the tavern looked lost in time. The room was lit by candles resting on hanging chandeliers, the wooden walls were dingy and massive wooden tables stood firmly throughout the room. It smelt of cedar, soot from the fireplace on the wall and assorted ales. Witches and wizards were perched on stools, chairs and tables, they were leaning on walls and counters. Mugs sitting upon tables stirred themselves and books flickered pages with the lazy flick of a wizard's finger. His eyes fell on the rather round older gentleman behind the counter, the bar master who also happened to be named Tom.

 

He slowly leaned over and whispered to the boys, "Call me Marvolo for now." Harry nodded in acknowledgement before looking around the pub in awe. He was honestly enthralled by how much magic was being used. "That is Tom, the bar master," he pointed out. Harry hummed and noticed how all the inhabitants of the pub seemed to be going about their business. He couldn't help but think about what would have happened if he hadn't applied a glamour to Harry's scar.

 

Tom grinned as he realized that without Harry's famous lightning bolt scar, that not a soul in the room could recognize him. He grinned with delight as he lead the boys to the back of the shop and stopped before and all too familiar large icky wall with several bricks missing. "Now watch carefully," he instructed as he slipped his wand from his sleeve and tapped out the all too familiar password. The wall roared as the bricks shifted, forcing a doorway to appear, Tom crossed his arms and smirked at the awestruck looks on Harry and Draco's faces. He twirled his yew and phoenix feather wand in his hand lazily before proceeding into the alley, "Easy as pi," he said briskly.

 

Harry and Draco trotted after him, both looking around keenly at all of the shops and magic folk moving through the street. He could feel the gazes of respectable wizards and shrugged them off, there was no point in paying them any attention, he just wanted to enjoy the day, rather than cause misery. "So where shall we go first?" he asked curiously as he turned his attention to Barr, he was dying to take the boy to an occultist to get rid of those revolting massive frames once and for all, but had a feeling there were other stops the pair would be more interested in. "Books?" asked Harry shyly, his green eyes look up at him through his lashes.

 

Tom grinned, he was happy that Harry wanted to read and actually enjoyed it. "Well to Flourish and Blotts, it is," he said with a hint of gusto before leading the boys to one of his personal favorite shops. He silently made mote to show Harry the rare book sellers in Knockturn Alley. He pushed the door open for the boys and watched as Draco led him up the stairs to the landing where there were shelves and shelves of books on potions and charms. Tom leaned on the banister, Harry had already shown an interest in the intricate art of potion making as well as charms, which had made Severus grin like a loon for hours.

 

He slowly walked down the aisles looking for some fresh literature, he was tired of reading the dusty tomes in Malfoy Manor and was starving for a newer work that challenged old theories. As his fingers brushed over the shelves he noticed an abandoned Daily Profit stuffed on it. With a sigh his slender fingers wrapped around the corner of the rag that people called a paper and he plucked it from the shelf. He was about to send it to the trash when he noticed the headline splashed across the top.

 

BOY WHO LIVED GUARDIANS FOUND DEAD IN THEIR OWN HOME!

 

Tom's blood went cold at the declaration and he felt his hands tighten around the paper, worry etched his brow as he stared at the headline. He hadn't killed them, as much as he desired to he hadn't, and knew that none of his followers would touch them either. He hummed as he looked around the aisle and then shrank the rag and pocketed it. Once done he rushed up the stairs to check on the boys. Whoever had killed Harry's Aunt and Uncle wanted to make it look like he did it, and probably would try to harm Harry as well. Those steps up the stays felt as though they were miles apart as he rushed to get to them, his heart was pounding as the headline echoed in his head like a knell.

 

He skidded to a stop and stared at t stack of books the boys were building, History, Charms, Spells, a Potions texts were among them. He breathed a sigh of relief as he stared at Draco who was sitting against a bookcase and Harry who was sprawled on his stomach on the floor, a book on the floor and his feet in the air. He smiled a little, "Perhaps I should ask Severus for a list of beginner texts," he remarked, making both boys snap to attention.

Draco and Harry looked at one another and grinned, "Please?" they asked at the same time. Tom hummed as he looked at the pile and nodded, he was a little out of his depth with modern texts, anything before the 1980s and he was safe, after that and he was honestly confused. He often consulted the sneaky Potion's master when it came to it and later just asked Severus to make them, he was a Potion Master after all. Tom flicked his wand making the books vanish from view and reappear at the front desk. "Anything else?" he asked curiously as he cast a tempest, only to realize they had spent two hours in the shop. Time flew when he was with them.

 

Draco shook his head and commented, "I'm going to run to the front desk and tell them who the order is for," he said briskly. Tom chuckled and shook his head he quickly pulled a piece of paper from his coat and deftly folded it into a bird, with the snap of his fingers it took a life of its own and flew down to the desk below. Harry and Draco leaned over the balcony and watched in awe as it landed on the stack of books. The shopkeeper hummed and opened it only to look at the name and smile.

 

"Taken care of, and he has been instructed to bill the Riddle Family as well as have the books delivered to the Malfoy residence in Manchester," he explained with a smirk. Both boys gaped at him, Severus tended to carry everything and Lucius was often followed by a house elf, he preferred his purchases to be delivered to his home. He clapped his hands together and asked, "Where to?" The boys looked at one another and grinned, he could tell they weren't accustomed to how he did things. "Robes and Quidditch Supplies," they agreed. Tom simply nodded and led the way. It had been a while since he went shopping and now remembered how enjoyable it was to spend.

~~WL~~

 

Lucius grumbled with frustration as he attempted to figure out how to get into the castle and hunt for the Charter, it annoyed him a great deal that he had no clue how to proceed. "Lucius if you continue to furrow your brows, your wife will have an old man rather than the elegant Lord Malfoy," commented a teasing voice. Lucius looked over and noticed an all too familiar face leaning in the doorway, with short wavy brown hair, brown eyes and a rather prominent nose was Barry Crouch. "What do you want Barty?" he hissed as he rubbed his temples. The young man pushed himself out of the doorway and walked over with a new paper in hand.

"Your help, I know our master didn't do this," he began as he tossed the newspaper on the desk, Lucius arched a brow as he picked it up and stared, his face paled and he felt the world spin before collapsing into his chair, "I take it you had nothing to do with it either with that reaction," he remarked before lurching on the edge of Lucius' desk.

 

The blonde aristocrat was silent for a moment as he attempted to get his thoughts in order. He was working to keep Harry safe and Tom hidden but if the murder was to be pinned on the Dark Lord this meant they were both in danger. It also meant an open option to adopt Harry. It would be chaos as everyone flocked at a chance to have the "savior" in their family and assimilate the Potter wealth as well as blood into the family. He had to figure out an adoption scheme, while the world may not have known Voldemort's true name, Albus Dumbledore did. "We have to stop the chaos from peaking loose, the animals can't be trusted," Lucius commented.

 

Barty gave a crooked smile, "Yes we must do everything we can to keep to animals at bay," he remarked. Lucius hummed, he honestly wished he could consult the Archivist again, if anyone could help him she could. "We could always kill the boy," commented Barty. Lucius' head snapped up and he glared darkly at Barty. In seconds the young man was at wand point with a furious Malfoy patriarch on the other end, and that wasn't a place you wanted to be. "You will not harm him," hissed Lucius, Harry had become one of the family and he'd damned if anyone harmed the boy.

 

Barty held up his hands, "Relax, we aren't going to literally kill him, we'll just make it look like we did," he replied. Lucius was about to ask what he meant when his secretary wandered in, "Sir, there's someone here to see you," she said hesitantly, and from her tone Lucius could tell it wasn't someone he particularly liked. "Who?" asked Lucius darkly. She shuddered and replied softly, "Headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore." Lucius froze, there was no way his luck was that bad, "Tell Bella to fill out the right paperwork next time," he said quickly before dismissing Barty. He watched the other man vanish before rising to greet the one man who irritated him as much as Umbridge.

 

Albus swept into the room in his usual grotesque robes, these were bright pink with neon green stars, his stomach churned as he looked at the man. "Ah Lucius, how nice it is to see you," he greeted, "I hope I didn't interrupt anything." Lucius smiled simply and replied as cordially as he was capable, "No, we were just finishing up." The Headmaster nodded as he took a seat fore Lucius, "I heard and interesting rumor that there had been a blonde man found unconscious on t castle floor several months ago, matching your description, I was only made aware of this today," he remarked as his blue eyes twinkled mercilessly, the blonde aristocrat could feel Albus pushing at his shields, attempting to break them down.

 

"I fell prey to one of the Weasley Twin's pranks, I should have been more attentive," he replied. He knew word would spread that the twins had managed to catch him off-guard and cause him to collapse would spread faster than it was possible to say lemon drops. He just wasn't sure if the twins would take credit. He had seen the remnants of their handy work many times before but had never met them personally. Albus' eyes widened in realization, "I apologize you should have told Minerva, she would have seen that they were punished," he stated.

 

Lucius held up his hand and shook his head, "It wasn't intended for me, but for a student, I was trying to get o Severus' office, he had requested to see a copy of the laws on Boomslang and dragon based ingredients," he explained smoothly. Albus seemed to accept this, and quickly moved past formalities. "I heard someone was looking for the charter," he remarked. Lucius hummed dismissively as he made a mental note to track down the snitch.

"Oh?" he asked feigning curiosity, "I didn't know it had been lost." Albus looked uncomfortable for a moment, "The charter is a key document Alibis, if you have lost it you must find it. Without it Hogwarts is breaking the law by remaining open, you are well aware of that aren't you?" asked Lucius firmly, sounding ever so like the solicitor he was. The elderly wizard stiffened and paused, he had just been about to pop a lemon drop into his mouth. "Yes, I am, and assure you, I know both the law and where the document is," he replied, "It's not the original but I was assured by the Minister that it was up to par."

 

Lucius suppressed a growl, had a feeling Albus had threatened the minister, in fact, he didn't doubt it. The issue was that he had no ground to stand on in order to launch an inquiry. There wasn't a drop of evidence that would support him and he would be considered the wizard who cried wolf. "I see, would it be possible to get a copy, for our records as t Board of Governors?" There was silence as Albus seemed to contemplate this action, "Of course, I'll have them sent in two days time," he replied with a smile.

 

Lucius made a quick note on a sheet of parchment en Albus said, "Pity," the word rang in his ears and looked up to see Albus looking at the paper. "Whoever is responsible was look for the boy, I would hate to see anyone else hurt," he remarked. Lucius felt his body go cold, "After all it would a tragedy to see the light of the Wizarding World to be snuffed out so young, thankfully he is safe," Albus commented as he placed the paper on his desk. "I must return to the school, Severus and Flitwick desire to discuss warding with me," he stated before slipping from the room. Lucius slowly released the breath he had been holding and immediately got up. He needed to speak to Tom and Narcissa, he couldn't lose them.

~~WL~~

Harry looked around the streets of London with as much awe as when he was in Diagon Alley. Dudley had been to London hundreds of time, while he never had. It was different with Tom and Draco than the Dursleys, Tom was far more sophisticated and he noticed how women seemed to throw themselves at him. By the third muggle shop he had given up getting irritated with these women, there was no denying how attractive was. Harry glanced over at Draco who was smiling, he hadn't seen the blonde this relaxed before, usually the boy was wound up so tight that Harry was worried he would snap from the tension.

 

They were walking by a Jaguar dealership when a beautiful car caught his eye. It was sleek a jet black, with a spoiler on the back, it was one of those cars Harry just wanted to run his hand down the side of. "Wow," whispered Draco, Tom smiled and asked, "Want a closer look?"

 


	9. Distinct

Glass doors with the Jaguar Logo were the only things separating him from the elegant cars on the showroom floor. A smirk curled his lips, Lucius boasted about his cars but he knew full well the aristocrat didn't have the same amount of money he did. The wizard paused and looked at the boys, he knew he could enchant the car to fly, but honestly he didn't want it to, he had a feeling she would move better on the road and it would be a shame to lose such elegance, she was crafted to own the road and he'd be damned if anyone changed that. He looked down at Harry and Draco, "Let's get a closer look," he said simply as he pulled open one of the glass doors with a brass handle.

He watched as Harry's jaw hit the pavement and he looked wide-eyed at Tom, "No way," he whispered. Tom arched a brow and asked, "What?" He was used to swiping plastic cards and getting what he wanted, he loved the power he could wield and money honestly wasn't an object. "It's just, I've never even seen these types of cars, and now to be a room full of them," Harry stammered. Draco chuckled as he placed a hand on Harry's back. The blonde was more than well versed on the perks of wealth. "Harry, just enjoy," Draco whispered.

Tom walked into the white dealership, beautiful cars sat before him in black, white and red. He smiled as he stopped before a beautifully waxed Jaguar, he could see his reflection in her hood, her sensual curves, and that sleek body screamed for attention. While he wasn't a fan of the flashy red he loved how close to the ground she was, she didn't roll across the road, she hugged it. His eyes flickered to the center of the room, sitting on a block was perhaps one of the most beautiful cars he had seen yet. Draco and Harry seemed to think the same thing as the three walked over to the hottest and fastest Jaguar yet, the F-Type R.

The wizard stood before the car with a smirk plastered on his lips. All he could think was Severus would have a heart attack. Red eyes traced the curve of her body, she was fierce a true animal waiting for him to let her loose. She was both wild and unassuming at the same time. Unlike most cars, this car was dangerous, she felt dangerous but sophisticated, she wasn't childish or flamboyant like a Lamborghini. His fingers tingled, he ached to wrap his hands around the steering wheel and put his foot on the gas.

He slowly walked to the side and noticed even the door handles hid from view, making for a smooth finish and less drag, meaning he could drive even faster. Tom practically moaned as he looked over her beautiful lines, "May I help you?" asked a rather nasally voice, it was high pitched and snapped him out of his car enduced daydream. Red eyes flickered over to the woman on the other side of the car, she was in a bright red dress, and tall heels. She had dark brown hair, a pair of hazel eyes and curves which most would consider attractive. She was frozen as she looked at him, he had a feeling she was in shock, clearly she hadn't expected someone like him to walk in.

It was no secret that most of the cars in this bracket were bought by older gentlemen who were graying and looked more as though they were trying to turn back the clock. He smirked, in many ways if he looked his age he would be one of these men. The only issue was he still had his charm, "Good afternoon, I was wondering what you could tell me about her," he said smoothly. His hands were in his pockets and he looked even more relaxed. "It's not exactly child safe," she said hesitantly as she looked at the boys. Tom chuckled, Draco looked mildly insulted and Harry while Harry was still in shock that he had even entered the dealership.

Tom nodded, "I'm well aware, but come now, you can't deny us our indulgence," he said smoothly as he walked around the car and stood before her. Shamelessly her eyes roamed over him, he knew it was a great decision to wear the tight gray jeans, her eyes hovered on his groin and he suppressed a chuckle, she wasn't his type. She bit her bright red lower lip and replied, "Of course, boys will be boys." Tom smiled and chuckled a bit, she had no idea just how fast some of those brooms could go if she knew they even existed.

"This is the Jaguar F-Type R," she said with pride, "550 horsepower, with a top speed of 300 km/h." Tom turned his attention to the car before him, this wasn't a car for a weak driver, "Sports Suspension with Adaptive Dynamics, a configurable dynamics system, Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by breaking," she continued firing it off. He looked over at her, he really wanted to get behind the wheel. He tuned out most of her prattling until she said, "and switchable sports exhaust with quad exhaust pipes." His head snapped up, as he stared at her in shock, "Oh yes she doesn't only purr, she roars," the sales woman said with a smug grin. The desire to drive the beautiful car before him wasn't existent anymore, it was quickly replaced by the primal need, he  _needed_  to drive it.

Tom looked at her and walked toward her, he flashed a charming smile and stood beside her. His eyes fell on the car once more before he looked at her. She was decent looking, he liked something with more muscle and not a high pitch voice, darker and far more mysterious, but he could work with her. He tilted his head to the side and asked, "Mind if I take her out for a test drive?" She blinked at him owlishly as Tom slipped his hand through his dark chocolate hair, the product had made it stiff, but he knew full well it would bounce back. She licked her lips and asked, "Which one?" Tom chuckled as he folded his arms and glanced back at the car, "The R, I'd love to hear her voice," he added quickly before looking at the boys. Draco was turning green with envy and Tom winked, he was going to drive her.

"It is quite remarkable," she said smoothly. Tom nodded as he looked into her hazel eyes and replied, "I have no doubt, she is rather distinct, I just hope she sounds it." The boys looked at Tom wide-eyed and she chuckled, "Oh trust me, she does." Tom chuckled as he tilted his head toward the boys, "Can they hear her before we make our get away?" he asked. The brunet blushed brightly and nodded, he could tell she was attempting to collect her thoughts.

"Certainly, they will have to stay here during the drive though," she said smoothly as she pointed at the boys. Tom didn't like the way she treated them but had a feeling he wouldn't get a say. He nodded and remarked, "Naturally, I'd rather have you in the passenger seat anyway." She gasped audibly before blushing a little, "You know quite a great deal about her, it's only fitting," he added. She swallowed before stammering, "I-I'll let the boys in the back know," before vanishing from view.

Draco glared at him, his silver eyes were hardened and he was shaking his head, he knew he had just charmed his way into a test drive, she wouldn't have caved if she didn't find him attractive. She returned quickly with the keys, "Alright, I have one in the back, I just need to see your license," she said simply. Tom took out his wallet and showed it to her, "Okay Mister Riddle, follow me," she said happily. He nodded as he followed her, he was careful to walk in measured steps, he didn't have to rush, he was the Dark Lord after all. "Of course," he said simply, "After you." She blushed once more; clearly she wasn't used to someone like him.

They walked out the back door with the boys in tow, sitting ready in the lot was a beautiful titanium white Jaguar F Type R coupe. "I'm Natalie by the way," said the woman after a moment, she smiled nervously, giving away the fact that she purposely wanted him to say her name so she could hear it spill from his lips. "Pleasure, Natalie," he said as he walked over to the passenger side. She hit a button on the key fob and he watched the door handle pop out of the door. She looked confused for a moment as Tom opened the door for her, "Thank you," she whispered before slipping into the seat and handing him the keys.

Tom rounded the car and slipped into the leather driver's seat. He loved the way it contoured to his body; it was snug, supportive and utterly seductive. He quickly started the car, he felt a shiver run through him as he heard the engine purr to life. "There is a switch here," she explained, "That allows for you to really hear her." Without further explanation she flipped the switch and he listened to most exhilarating sound he had ever heard, her roar. He smirked as he felt the power surge through the beautiful car and he noticed the expression on the boys' faces. He quickly put it in gear and pulled away from the dealership. A shiver traveled down his spine as he felt his heart race, she handled like a dream as he wove through traffic and quickly shifted. It was smooth, and he loved the sound of her growl. With each time he tapped the clutch he was moving even faster, "I'm so taking this home," he moaned as he flicked his directional and took another right.

His red eyes fell on the woman beside her, he had nearly forgotten about her, clearly she was too preoccupied looking at him. Natalie was watching him, her mouth was open and she was in awe. Tom chuckled, he had been driving for decades, of course he could do this, "It certainly changes everything," he whispered, "Brace yourself," he said as he shifted, Natalie's fingers curled around the edge of the seat. "These little men, this small world," he began before gliding around a corner, "This gem in the middle of shimmering seas," her eyes glazed over, "This earth," he breathed before shifting again pushing the car even faster, "This world," he breathed.

Tom grinned mischievously as he shifted with grace, he was certain at that moment this car would give Severus a heart attack. No matter what he did, he was bringing the car home in British Racing Green. Natalie looked dazed as he down shifted and turned into the dealership. Her dress was ruffled and lips parted, she looked as though he had just had a round of sex with her. She looked over and licked her lips, "Whoa, I've never had someone drive like that," she whispered. Tom smirked, he had a feeling no one had ever shown her what it was like to really drive. He put the car in park, the boys were standing there drooling on the sidewalk.

"I'll take it," said Tom firmly, Severus was going to have a heart attack and he knew it.

~~WL~~

Lucius quickly sat up once Dumbledore was gone, the room seemed to spin and he clutched his head, this was a disaster. The blonde noble gripped the desk as he bowed his head, desperately attempting to get the turbulent thoughts in his head to subside. He wanted nothing more than to hold his family close, Harry was family now, the boy had been through enough but Dumbledore wanted to cause even more harm. The Malfoy patriarch closed his eyes for a moment when he heard a soft hiss, "Lucius, you should speak to your wife," said a familiar voice.

Gray eyes opened and he looked down at the frame on his desk, it was occupied by Salazar once more, he was slowly becoming more and more accustomed to the Founder's visits. "I can't, Dumbledore is probably having my office watched, I don't want her harmed, I don't think I can live with myself it anything were to happen to her," he said slowly. His chest ached just thinking about someone hurting her, "So you are going to sit idly while a man threatens your family?" sneered the man in the frame.

Lucius shot the wizard a glare, "No, I don't know what to do," he hissed in frustration, "I'm not you, not everything is as clear to me as it is to you." He growled as he flopped in his chair in a rather inelegant way and leaned his elbows on his desk. He sighed before pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes and muttering, "I don't want to loose them, Narcissa, Draco, Harry, Tom, Severus, I can't think of life without them." Lucius was never a sentimental man, yet, he couldn't stand the notion of losing his new found family.

"Lucius, sometimes the best moves are the boldest," Salazar said slowly, "You have to choose between releasing the boy into a life of pain or causing your family pain. It's never simple to do the right thing." Lucius slowly moved his hands away from his head and folded his arms on his desk, he looked down at the grain of the wood and whispered, "I'm not strong enough to take him head on." He knew he never would be, he wasn't like Tom who was more than equal in skill and power.

"Don't fight him like a Gryffindor, what house do you belong to?" asked Salazar lightly. Lucius looked up at him and replied, "Slytherin." The founder smiled and tapped his fingers against the desk in the image. It was then that Lucius realized what the next step was, "Warn them and there has to be something I can use in the Hall of Records, something that can help us find the chamber," he said quickly. He needed blueprints, he needed the castle blueprints, if there were changes to the castle they had to be noted. The only issue was because of the castle's magic things often moved. "Salazar, did you make blueprints of the castle?" he asked.

The founder sadly shook his head, "It's been too long since we mapped it, unless," he began and paused. Lucius sat at the edge of his seat and looked at the founder who was clearly attempting to remember something. "I remember Minerva raving to Slughorn years ago about four boys getting in constant trouble and always seeming to be able to avoid being caught," he commented. Lucius was quiet as he searched his memory for a hint of who they might have been, "They often bullied Severus."

As if lightning had struck him Lucius nearly shouted, "The Marauders! James, Sirius, Peter and Remus!" Salazar stared at him in confusion a question was forming on his lips when Lucius explained, "Those four made Sev miserable, the pranks, one of them nearly killed him. How could they get away with those pranks?" The founder held his hand up, his eyes narrowed as he asked, "What did they do?" his voice was dark and filled with anger. Lucius froze, he had heard that tone only once before, from Tom, when he had learned of what was happening to Harry. It was cold, unyielding and murderous in nature.

The Malfoy looked at the portrait and replied, "Sirius knocked Sev out and took him into the Forbidden Forest, he was nearly killed by a wild animal. We couldn't find him for hours, he still doesn't like the woods and avoids venturing into them when he can." Salazar began to visibly shake, anger was rolling off the portrait in waves, and soon the frame began to do so. "A student was nearly killed by a prank by another student! How could the Headmaster be so negligent? What was the punishment?" he hissed.

"Nothing, they were never caught, everyone said Sev was simply breaking the rules. Sirius never confessed to it and Severus never forgot," Lucius said softly, his eyes were locked on the now cracking wooden frame, he had never seen a portrait angry, not like this at least. Usually portraits would scream till they were beyond words, yet Salazar managed to shake the frame. "NOTHING WAS DONE?" he roared, "Incompetence!" Lucius held up his hands and watched as the founder cursed in parseltongue. Lucius flinched, he still remembered the injuries the Potion's Master had sustained thanks to the event, both the mental and the physical.

"Sir, it's in the past, right now we need to figure out just how they managed to do things and not get caught," he stated firmly, the portrait complied with a silent nod. He ran his fingers through his hair before remembering the mumblings of Remus, "A map, they made a map! Now I just have to find it," he said slowly. If he could use the original blueprints and the map, he would be able to figure out what areas would likely house the chamber and ultimately locate it as well as Salazar's library. "Now you have to find it, it's been a very long time since they were in school," Salazar mused.

Lucius nodded and looked at the portrait, he still needed a way to keep Harry safe, this would only work long term, they needed security now. Drummed his fingers on his desk when his eyes fell on his lordship ring, the answer had been there all along, "I have to go, I think I just figured out how to protect Harry a little longer," he said rapidly as he jumped out of his seat. He didn't wait for Salazar to bid him well, he was already moving out of his office and rushing toward the Legal Hall.

Unlike the Archive, the hall was far more his speed. If he remembered correctly from the days of his schooling to become a solicitor there was a clause that could help them. He just had to make sure it was still valid. Wizards tended to write laws that contradicted one another, and never really voided a law, it was simply pushed further and further away from mind as new laws were developed. Lucius opened the doors to the Hall and looked at the other Solicitors, he had forgotten how calm it was compared to the chaos of the Archives.

In a sea of other witches and wizards he glided with purpose, what he needed was buried deep in the hall, and while the others usually stayed with in the last 200 years, he needed something far older. Lucius strode past a young wizard struggling was a cumbersome tome, he could feel the eyes of his colleagues on his back as he walked through. He had grown accustomed to the glares of hatred after announcing his affiliation with the Dark Lord all those years ago. In his opinion it didn't matter if he was allied with the Dark Lord or not, it was none of their business what his beliefs were, all that mattered was that he was skilled at his occupation.

He opened a pair of large doors which separated the Hall, unlike the archive which was free flowing, the Hall was broken into sections with walls and doors. He slipped into the new section and noticed a few wizards toward the front, he still wasn't far enough it. He had to go deep into the heart of the Hall to find it. After crossing the second threshold he found himself standing in an abandoned section. He could see the dust on the shelves and noted that they hadn't even bothered cleaning the space since no one ventured this deep.

Black robes swept against the dusty floor as Lucius walked through the stacks, it was dimly lit and he notice the number of spiders making their homes amongst the volumes. His gray eyes glided over the spines of the tomes, most of them were leather and a few were plant fiber. He stopped before the era of Merlin, these were all scrolls. Finally, he was where he had to be. Lucius looked at the tags which hung from the strings wrapped around the scrolls, they were labeled with years and nature of the law.

Unlike the tomes in the front of the library, older laws were longer, more specialized and each law took up a large portion of parchment. These laws were forged in a time where chaos was common and the law was the only thing keeping society from collapsing in on itself. They were the first laws, the oldest of them all and the most sacred. Many had been forgotten with time, while others had been paraphrased and reworked to suit the times.

He stopped before the date, he wrapped his fingers around the edge and pulled out a rather thick scroll. A once green ribbon, was tied around the girth of the scroll. The wizard quickly freed the scroll from its confines and began reading. Like many of the older scrolls the original case was presented, then the ruling and finally the law that was often added later.

" _Winter Solstice, Year of the Pendragon's Wrath,_

_The during the waxing moon of the first month of winter a fire was set to the Estate of Lord Riddle. The mansion was reduced to rubble and only the scion survived. There is no one else able to take the child in these turbulent times,"_

Lucius read and paused, Riddle, the Riddle line had both been in jeopardy then and existed. "Just how old are the Riddles?" he asked as he looked up, he knew there were old lines but this was too much of a coincidence. He continued reading the scroll only to notice the penmanship change, it was no longer the firm calligraphy of a scribe but the elegant and rather soft calligraphy of a different quill entirely.

" _The scion of the line has been left without a home, and while I wish to offer my own, it is impossible to do so. For fear that I would strip the scion of his rights, he is to be sent to his relatives, despite their harsh treatment of the boy._

" _He was found several days ago, beaten, starved, and near death. Only his magic was sustaining his life. The family in question claimed this as an act of discipline, even though it is clearly an act of abuse. We are unable to separate the scion from the remaining family."_

Lucius continued to unwind the scroll and noticed the ink again had changed color, this scroll was longer and the writing again was just as tender and passionate. Clearly the individual was attached to the young wizard in question.

" _The scion has come of age, however has called for a vote. He proposes a new law to protect future scions:_

_A scion of any family, regardless of age, has the ability and right to seek refuge in another house in cases of dire duress. Be it from death of the family, cursed members, to abuse and neglect, the scion as final member of the line and future Lord, has the right to select a house to serve as guardians._

_The Guardian House must provide written codes stating they will not take advantage of the scion, provide protection and approve of their selection._

_The House in question then has 1 year to either adopt or send the scion away. Adoption may only occur if there are no remaining familial bonds or evidence of abuse is provided._

_Approved and Sanctuary Clause extended to women as well."_

Lucius looked at the law, they had documented the evidence he was happy to have thought of doing so. He looked at the law and continued to open the scroll, only for his eyes to widen, at the bottom of the scroll was the signature of the one wizard whose word was absolute. He was holding a scroll with a law penned by Merlin himself. The soft and elegant writing belonged to one of the most powerful wizards in history. His jaw popped open as he looked at the date the law had been approved.

Gaunt, the surname was a powerful one, and now even more powerful when allied with that of Merlin on the same scroll. Lucius slowly tied the scroll back up and slipped it into his robes, now all he had to do was make sure the law hadn't been labeled void, if so he would have to keep looking. Although the law stated they could provide protection, there was always the fact that many people considered himself and his family Death Eaters, meaning they would object to their offering of sanctuary to the Potter scion.

There was only one other person he knew who would be able to tell him if the law was still valid, Madame Bones. Even if she was a judge who was known for supporting Albus, he also knew if he provided enough evidence she would swing his way. He would worry about the castle blueprints later, this was far more important, it was the difference between a happy and healthy family, and a dead one.

~~WL~~

The class was oddly silent as they began adding ingredients to their caldrons, already Severus knew just how few students would succeed in crafting a passable brew. From a single glance he knew 10 students had destroyed their caldrons, 9 made a low grade acid, 2 had transformed a simple salve into poison and 1 student was close but it would be a weak excuse for a burn lotion.

Black eyes lifted from the page he was reading to survey the room, he looked over at a young man with his head over a caldron and immediately recognized the fumes. With the flick of his wrist he placed a shield over the caldron and growled, "Finnegan step away from the caldron, 10 points from Gryffindor."

The Irishman stared at him in confusion as the contents of the caldron burst, sending noxious fumes into the air. The stench of sulfur assaulted his already delicate sense of smell and he sighed. "Did you read the directions? It stated to add the moonstone in the form of powder, not chunks," he hissed. He crossed his arms and glided toward the now cowering Gryffindor, he was certain that both Harry and Draco wouldn't have made the same error. "Why is this so?" he asked broadly and glared around the room. The Slytherins on the other side of the room were smiling with glee.

To this day he didn't understand why Albus paired the Slytherins and Gryffindors together, the pair fed off one another like piranhas. He was tired of the battling between the two, it only made classes so much more challenging to teach. It was fact that Slytherins worked beautifully with Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs were far better paired with Gryffindors.

He looked down his nose at the trembling bow, "Well?" he asked tiredly. He turned to his own house, disgusted in part by the way they were grinning and mumbling. He would deal with them later, they were well aware of his policies. "By adding the powder it dissolves entirely within one step while large chunks take far longer and as a result the use of Carvina Root will interact with the chunks. Causing a volatile reaction before the powdered horned worm can fuse to the moonstone making it less volatile," he drawled, not a quill was out and he asked, "Why aren't you writing this down?"

In a flash every student had a quill between their fingers and was scribbling away, he sighed as he called for a piece of chalk and began writing directions for their homework on the board, "I would like 15 inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and it's proper preparations in potions," he stated, "Do include the compounds which it shouldn't be added to as well as the exceptions and the ingredients which reduce it's reactivity to triggers in potions."

He heard a universal groan from the Gryffindors and the Slytherins were mumbling about the famous stupidity of a Gryffindor, unfortunately they didn't realize he knew none of them had managed to produce a successful salve. "Bottle up your work, clean your spaces and get out," he instructed as he glared at the group. He was itching to get out of the school, it was Friday and he couldn't wait to get back to Malfoy Manor. He listened to the students put various ingredients away when his house elf appeared. He looked over at the young elf who was smiling a little and holding out a piece of parchment.

Severus accepted the piece of parchment from Sage and the elf nodded before popping away. He suppressed a growl, he had a feeling it was from Albus, he looked down at the note and paused, it wasn't from the Headmaster.

_Meet me at the gates of the School, after your class is out. I have something to show you. I'm sure you'll love it._

_TMR_

The note was from Tom, he would know the penmanship any where, he felt his stomach drop. Tom was daring to go near the school, then again the wards had allowed him in the first time, he had a feeling they hadn't alerted the Headmaster to his appearance outside the gate. The Potion Master hummed as he tucked the note away in his long black teaching robe and folded his arms. Tom wasn't the type to do unusual things, yet here he was at the gates of the school.

The clamor died down as the students left the room and he looked at the spotless desks, they knew better than to leave things out in his space. He didn't like contamination, it was bad enough he had to work in the dank dungeons where the air no doubt had mold. Severus slipped out of the lab and into his private chambers. He slipped out of his teaching robes and into a pair of jeans with a v-neck black sweater. Muggle clothing was something he had learned to appreciate from Tom, then again the man's suites were worth as much as most of his cauldrons.

He quickly put on black oxfords and a black belt. With a bag slung over his shoulder and his hair tied back in a leather strap he was ready to go. He smiled as he left his chambers and dashed through the halls, all of the students were long since in classes and he had already asked for the ability to leave the campus. He continued down the stairs, only for Flitwick to spot him, the Charms Professor simply smiled and continued walking. It was one of the few things he liked about the Head of Ravenclaw, he didn't ask questions.

Severus walked out the doors and made his way across the grounds. He was accustomed to walking and didn't hear the click of hooves against the path. He turned around to see a horse with the Hogwarts crest on it's saddle pad. He paused and looked at the stunning animal, it was jet black and bowed it's head to him. Severus lifted a weary palm and touched the animal's muzzle, "How?" he asked curiously only to look over the animal, he had a feeling the castle sent him. He looked at the beautiful stone construct and smiled, perhaps the castle was looking out for him.

The Potion's Master quickly jumped onto the horse's back and began trotting toward the gates, he had ridden horses many times at the Malfoy Estate, but none of them had such a smooth gate. He enjoyed the feeling of the powerful animal moving as the familiar iron gates appeared before him. As they drew closer he noticed a sleek green car on the other side with a young man leaning against the side in jeans, a soft shirt and a rather nice blazer, the black jeans hugged his every curve and his arms were crossed. His chocolate brown hair was spiked wildly and he was sporting a pair of gold framed aviators.

Severus pulled the reins back and quickly dismounted. "What are you doing here Tom?" he questioned as he opened the gates and slipped through them. Only now did he see the car in all it's glory, car wasn't an accurate term for it, it was more of a work of art. In British Racing Green with camel interior, was a sleek Jaguar. His mouth dried out as the man leaning against it tossed the keys. "Want to go for a spin?" he asked with a grin.

Black eyes widened as his lips parted, "You, you didn't, you bought it?" he stammered, suddenly his usual eloquent tongue was gone and what remained was a stammering man faced with a machine that sent a chill up his spine. "Of course I did, come on, let's go for a ride," Tom said flirtatiously, Severus swallowed. He could handle Lucius, the demands of the Headmaster and all the Snakes in his house but when it came to Tom he wasn't dealing with the norm. There were no rules to Tom except one, go with it. Tom was his own man, he always had been and there wasn't any changing it.

"Sure," he replied as he placed his bag in the boot and looked over at the smiling Dark Lord. Severus could tell he was in for a ride, Tom opened the door for the man before circling the car and slipping into the driver's seat. Severus gasped as he listened to the engine roar to life, it was only now he realized that the Jaguar had been sleeping, "Oh trust me, that's not the most impressive part," he stated as he reached down and flicked a switch. The purring wild cat quickly transformed into a roaring one, Severus felt his pulse soar as Tom put the Jaguar in gear and pulled away from the gates.

"Whoa," whispered Severus in awe as he tentatively touched the dashboard. Tom chuckled and shook his head, "She won't bite," he mused as he shifted the car and began slamming through the gears, rapidly pulling away from the building. "The boys?" asked Severus only making Tom's smile broaden. "I took them out already, Draco looked terrified he was clinging to the side of the car, Harry was grinning, the boy certainly loves speed, he'd be a hell of a seeker," Tom said simply as he took a turn and got onto a paved muggle road. It was there Tom really opened her up, Severus smiled as Tom dropped the windows, the sun was out and the day flew by. "How was teaching?" asked Tom curiously. The Potion's Master sighed and replied, "The same as always, dreadful. I'm not sure what's more irritating teaching Hufflepuffs who are clueless or Gryffindors who are so brave their morons?"

Tom chuckled and shook his head, "Same as always, it really never changes," he pursed his lips before commenting, "I heard about Potter's Aunt and Uncle, we need a plan of action," Tom shifted again and Severus felt the Jaguar move with grace under Tom's control. He felt strange watching the wizard drive the muggle car, "What did you have in mind?" asked Severus. Tom smiled as he shifted again, "Adoption. I want to adopt him. It's the only way to keep Albus away, the issue is I'm supposedly dead," he stated. Severus hummed as he thought about it and realized Tom would need a job and the like. He had money that wasn't the issue, the issue was no one knew who he was.

"I have an idea, it's a long shot but it could be in our favor," he stated. The Dark Lord looked over at Severus curiously, "Teaching at Hogwarts, we need a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Strout is leaving," he stated. Severus had always wanted the post but had a feeling Tom would flourish under it and with him there he would be able to protect Harry when he entered school the next year. Tom slowed a little, his expression was contemplative, "There is the issue of my non-existent resume," he stated. He was doing the speed limit, it was obvious that the man needed to think.

Severus hummed until he remembered what Lucius had said the other day, "The Archivist, she can help us, the only thing is since you are a Riddle we can re-launch you in society," he stated. Tom shifted the Jaguar again and began to pick up speed, he drummed his thumb against the steering wheel and replied, "I'm a wizard not a rocket, besides is that really the best idea?"

Lucius was the most knowledgeable in this area and Severus felt as though he were grappling at straws. He sighed and closed his eyes, he had no idea what he was doing, "I don't know, I just know if you want to get into Hogwarts by claiming your right as scion to the Riddle's you should be able to get the Ministry on your side," he mused. Tom slammed on the breaks abruptly causing the Potion's Master to lurch forward and grip the side of the car for dear life. He glanced over at the Dark Lord who was grinning from ear to ear, "Let's take it a step further, I'll get on the Board of Governors and work in the Ministry, Lucius stated they need officials and what better than a newly realized Lord?" he asked.

The idea was loose but Lucius had worked with less, "Do you think that will work?" he asked curiously, he had no idea what Tom was thinking. Tom quickly shifted again and replied, "Oh yes, in fact it will work out beautifully." Severus smiled, Tom always did make a rather large impact and with the Jaguar he was beyond Distinct. He knew Riddle had the makings of a Ministry Official and Professor but the question was how far would he go to keep the boys safe. He watched the road blur as Tom drove at break neck speeds, the Dark Lord now had a goal, and those who got in his way would be damned for attempting it. It was a well known fact that Tom would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.


	10. It takes a Snake

The Silence stretched through the house, her clutches wrapped around the walls forcing it into a deep slumber. As the mansion slept, and the house elves waited for their master’s return Harry looked absently out the window. Not even the crackle of the hearth could be heard, Summer was nearing and the weather was nice, the only hearths lit were in Lord Malfoy’s study and the foyer as transport. Draco had long since gone to his room to rest, he was exhausted and Narcissa was still out. Not even Nangini was out, making the house seem eerie and cold for the first time. He looked at the walls and shivered the house seemed to be getting colder. Even the portrait frames were vacant.

Harry felt his hair stand on end as he drew a deep breath, the house was practically suffocating. As far as he knew they didn’t have ghosts, but he had never asked Draco if Phantoms lived within the walls. On a number of occasions, Severus had told Harry of those which inhabited Hogwarts. While, those ghosts seemed friendly – other than Peeves- he had a feeling that the few trapped within these walls were slightly more viscous. Alert green eyes looked around the dimly lit room, the sun was setting and Tom wasn’t back. He heard a loud groan from a distant floor board and jumped to attention.

The young wizard’s feet hit the floor with a thud as he looked around the room frantically, it was far darker than it should be, “Who’s there?” he called, his voice wavered more than he had hoped it would. He squinted as he attempted to discerned shapes in the uncharacteristically dark room. “Show yourself!” he commanded, his voice a little stronger than before.

“Harry, it’s just me,” said Draco as he walked in, his hands were up. He was still dressed in the same outfit from earlier. Harry relaxed a little as Draco joined him, it was soothing to have a Malfoy in the room, he wasn’t sure why but he honestly felt safer with them around. “Today was fun huh?” asked Draco with a grin. Harry bobbed his head, of course he had fun he got to go out and enjoy both Wizarding London and Muggle London, something he had never done before. “Tom’s car was awesome,” gushed Harry, making Draco chuckle. He loved how fast it moved through the streets.

The blonde shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, “Why’s it so cold in here?” he inquired a she looked over at the hearth, which wasn’t lit. He looked out the window and asked, “Darkness? It shouldn’t be twilight for a few hours, we didn’t even see the sunset.” Harry felt something churn his stomach, something wasn’t right.

The air was icy cold and he could see his breath before him, Draco’s was visible too, the vapor shone as steam in the air. Instinctively Harry wrapped his arms around himself; he hadn’t felt this cold since that winter when they had rescued him. Draco looked nervous and stiff suddenly, it was as though he felt it as well. Harry backed away from the door only to feel his fingers brush against something ice cold. He turned with a start and stared at the windows, the ice was beginning to cover them, spreading slowly from the corners and up the panes. Small fingers slowly reached out and touched the glass, he felt his finger pads stick to it slightly. “Ice?” he questioned. He looked out the window, his eyes squinting as he did so, his breath was fogging up the glass making it even harder to see through the thick layer of ice forming on the windows. Draco slowly pulled back and looked terrified as the ice threatened to overtake the window and spread down the windowsill.

He slowly edged closer and closer to the window, something floated past the panes, it was just on the other side. “GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOW!” screamed a voice. Harry turned his attention to see a wizard with chocolate brown hair and bright blue eyes, they were wide with terror, “NOW!” screamed the wizard. Harry jumped away from the window as though it burned him. He noticed the man had a snake around his neck and was holding his wand. Harry dashed across the room, Draco following closely behind him, only to hear the glass from the window explode, the shards flew through the air the sound was chilling and Harry heard the portrait shout, “RUN!”

Without question the young wizards took off down the now dark halls, he was stumbling as he did so, he still wasn’t accustomed to the layout of the massive mansion. Draco attempted to drag Harry through them only to stumble even worse as the blonde bumped into things as well. Harry was about to run into a wall when he noticed a flicker of light, “This way,” commanded the portrait from before, the man was now carrying a wand, he glided from frame to frame with Harry hot on his heels with Draco not far behind.

The air got colder and he heard something floating through the hallways behind him, it sounded as though he were panting. “Keep up,” snapped the portrait as he made a sharp right, Harry had no idea where he was going, his heart was pounding as his feet hit the floor, he just wanted to keep up with the mysterious portrait, praying he would find a way out. “Wait. Where are the elves?” he stammered.

Brilliant blue eyes looked at the boy and he turned to the snake before saying, “They can’t reach you, they are being blocked.” Harry felt his stomach drop and Draco stared in terror at the portrait before nodded before sprinting once again, he felt the air grow colder and had a feeling it was just a few feet behind him. Draco was by his side, his blonde hair was tussled and his face pale with fear. Instinctively Harry slowed down and slipped behind Draco, “Keep going I’ll follow,” he shouted, “I don’t know the house well enough.” It was the truth he had been in a part of the house he didn’t spend much time in. Draco nodded and continued running.

His head was spinning and suddenly he heard it, a scream. It was high-pitched and sounded like a woman’s, her voice was familiar, it was dreamlike. His ears rang as he listened to her, the founder shouted, “Hadrian!” his voice was commanding as Harry fell to the floor, he felt as though something icy cold had reached into his soul and began tearing it apart.

All the warmth that he had known was gone, as images of the Dursleys hurting him assaulted his mind, each scrap of happiness was being sucked out of him, it was agony. Darkness enveloped him as Harry collapsed to the floor, the screaming rang in his ears. His eyes were locked upward at the black cloaked figure with a massive mouth, which was the only feature the thing processed. A chill settled in his veins as he felt the world spin. His head hit the floor harshly as long skeletal fingers reached down at him.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” hollered a voice; it rang through the hallway as clear as a bell.

A massive serpent erupted out of the tip of a white wand chasing the darkness from view. Warmth followed in the serpent's wake as its master stood between the boys and the monster. Harry felt the light caress his skin, the warmth wrapped around his sense as the Serpent shot light through the house, its warmth touched every nook and corner in the house, forcing the arctic chill out. The young wizard’s eyes were locked on the figure which had stepped in-between himself and the creature. His mind was fogged as he attempted to discern just who had stepped between them.

It was soothing to hear his voice, somehow hearing that voice meant safety even if for a moment he couldn’t fathom why. Harry opened his eyes to see a wizard standing before him, he was wearing a pair of jeans with a dress shirt, the tails of it were hanging out, and the back was wrinkled. The heels of his black oxfords peeked out of the bottom of his jeans, they were pristinely polished. The man before him was tall, and lean but powerful in the shoulder, he had short brown hair.

The young wizard’s head was pounding, his body was in pure agony, and he felt drained. He blinked slowly, and attempted to get off the floor, only his limbs wouldn’t obey his commands. Panic swallowed Harry as he tried over and over to get his limbs to do as he asked. “Harry?” asked a concerned voice, “Draco?” a pair of gentle and rather cool hands lifted him off the floor. He looked up to see a pair of red eyes staring back at him, with the same chocolate brown hair as the man from the portrait. “Tom?” he asked curiously, suddenly there were even more similarities between them, even their regal features were nearly the same, in fact if Harry didn’t know better he would say they were related.

Tom smiled, but it never reached his eyes, Harry could see the fear in them. The elder wizard’s hands trembled as he lifted his hand and ran his fingers through Harry’s hair in an attempt to soothe him. Only Harry thought Tom was more soothed by it than he was. “Thank god,” he breathed before crushing Harry to his chest. Soon after Harry found Draco being pulled into Tom’s arms as well. The blonde scion was trembling and looked as though he were going to pass out. “Sev! Luce! I have them!” shouted Tom, his lush velvet voice carried a hint of relief in it.

There was a thunder of foot steps as the two wizards dashed through the house. Seconds later Harry noticed a pair of spidery white hands covered in potion’s stains lifting his chin, “Look at me,” commanded the voice softly, his tone was far gentler than the portrait had been. Harry did so and noticed black eyes evaluating him, to Severus’ left Lucius was kneeling his blonde hair which was usually swept away from his face was a mess and his blue eyes were filled with panic, this was the first time Harry had seen the man look so disheveled and frantic. 

“They need chocolate,” the potion’s master determined before calling for his elf. Only the elf never arrived, “Sage?” he called again and looked around the hallway. Severus stared at the emptiness of the hall and Lucius shouted, “Dobby!” Neither elf appeared, even after being called several more times. Harry noticed a look shared between Lucius, Severus and Tom. “They are being blocked,” Tom said slowly, he sounded more shocked than upset. Lucius looked at the mansion and pulled out his wand, he attempted several incarnations only for him to drop his wand arm, “No, someone has locked them out, how?” he stammered, “It’s impossible.”

Tom gently carded his fingers through Harry’s hair, “Sev, we need to head to Riddle Manor, if they know where this house is, they know where all the Malfoy’s are,” the wizard said quickly. The dour potion’s master nodded in agreement, “It’s the only safe place,” stated Severus as he looked at Harry and Draco. The young blonde had finally stopped shaking, “Harry? Why are you crying?” asked Tom gently as he stroked the young wizard’s arm.

It was only then Harry realized his eyes burned and his cheeks were hot, something wet slid down his face and neck. Harry dumbly swept the incriminating droplets away and whispered, “I don’t know, I thought I heard a woman screaming.” Harry rubbed his temples only to look up at Lucius and asked quickly, “Is Narcissa okay?” The Malfoy lord looked even more panicked and was about to make a dash toward the floo when the familiar voice of Narcissa Malfoy swept through the house. “Draco? Harry? Lucius? Tom? Severus?” he called. Lucius turned his head and shouted, “Up here!” Typically he would send an elf, but he would have to settle for shouting through the house instead.

Harry swore he could hear her heels clicking and the rustle of robes as she dashed up the stairs, it was unusual to see a Malfoy run but Harry seemed to be rather good at it now, or at least he thought he was. She was kneeling beside her husband moments later, her hair thrown in a messy bun. Her silver eyes were locked on the boys, “Draco?” she asked softly as she touched her son’s cheek. Harry watched as Draco launched himself into her arms and sobbed. “What happened?” she whispered as she ran a hand down Draco’s back.

“Dementors,” replied Tom, the single word made the adults stiffen. A bar of chocolate finally appeared in Severus’ hand. Harry watched with intrigue as the man banished the wrapper, levitated the bar and snapped it in thirds. Harry was confused for a moment as Severus handed them portions of the bar. “Chocolate helps with Dementor attacks,” explained the Potion’s Master. Harry accepted the dark sweet and watched as Severus held a portion out to Tom. “Sev,” growled Tom, he sounded more exhausted now than before.

Severus didn’t waver, his gaze on the mans’ face and Harry looked up, only now did he realize how pale and tired Tom looked. “It took too long for you to cast your patronus, you’re drained,” he reasoned as he jabbed the chocolate at Tom. The crimson eyed wizard accepted the piece and took a bite. Harry noticed a small smile curl the corner’s of the man’s lips as he did so. Despite Tom’s protests he seemed to appreciate Severus’ concern. Harry looked over at Draco who was nibbling on the chocolate he had been given. Yet this didn’t release even an ounce of tension, it was as though they were all waiting for the next shoe to drop.

Lucius wrapped an arm around Narcissa who looked as shaken as Draco had, “Tom, your home, it will alert others to your existence,” Lucius pointed out. Harry didn’t know why but the mysterious crimson eyed wizard treasured his secrecy above all else. Harry felt Tom’s chest rumble as the wizard who was still holding him hummed, his arms never released him and he could feel a strong hand on his shoulder, he lifted his gaze from the chocolate in his palm to Severus. “Actually we could,” said Severus thought fully, all eyes in the room turned to the Potion’s Professor who was now looking thoughtfully at Tom.

Narcissa glared at Severus in confusion as Lucius stared at the man as though he had lost it. “He’s still the Dark Lord, or did you forget that?” sneered Lucius. Harry was slightly shocked by the Malfoy patriarch’s tone, he didn’t sneer frequently, unless he was in public or extremely irritated. “No, but he doesn’t look like the Dark Lord,” Severus commented as he pointed at Tom, “He looks like a respectable business man, a handsome, debonair upper class, wizard. Not Dark Lord.”

There was silence in the room, Severus began smirking as he looked at Lucius, “How many seats does his family still have?” asked the professor curiously. “7 in Wizengamot, but there hasn’t been anyone to claim them,” replied the solicitor simply, obviously this was always up for debate in the Ministry, “Many tried liquidating the acct but since the house is governed by magic and the spell knows the last scion is alive it won’t allow us to remove the seats,” Lucius said as he shrugged a little.

“We were going to wait,” stated Tom darkly, his red eyes narrowed and Severus shook his head. “We have to create a person, you can’t just show up and ask for an interview, so we will use this time to create Marvolo Thomas Gaunt-Riddle, the scion of the Riddle House,” he stated. Lucius’ jaw popped open as he stared at Tom, who was simply smiling, Harry felt very confused as he listened to the adults but had a feeling this was rather comical, since the name Severus said was a rearrangement of Tom’s full name.

Narcissa shook her head and held her hand up to stop him, “Wait, you can’t just re-launch him into society, no one knows who he is!” she stated loudly as she gestured to Tom with an open palm. Severus smiled and crossed his arms, “We can, he can simply say he’s a cousin of Tom Gaunt-Riddle, the family went in hiding during Voldemort’s Raids, so they wouldn’t have to choose a side. The only person who knows the Dark Lord is Tom, other than us, is Dumbledore,” he explained smugly.

Harry looked at the group and said slowly, “That could work, but wouldn’t he need money?” All four adults looked at the young wizard knowingly, they were smiling and Tom chuckled. “What?” he asked as he felt Draco’s eyes on him. “Harry, Tom is very rich, he’s actually wealthier than we are,” Draco stated bluntly causing Harry to whip his head up and look at a now smirking Dark Lord. “He lives here because his house is too closely watched, but if he claims right as the last Riddle he will be able to take the house, the vaults, investments, positions, titles, and assets his families processed, since he’s from two lines of magic,” explained Lucius.

The chocolate haired wizard was now reveling in the fact Harry had no idea he was being held by an extremely wealthy wizard, he had seen the Malfoy’s funds in action but the notion of someone having more money than them made his head hurt more than it already did thanks to the Dementor. He felt his senses come back and asked, “What was that thing by the way, a Dementor?” he asked. Tom ran his fingers through Harry’s hair and replied, “A Dementor is a creature of the dark, and they guard the prison of Azkaban. They are known for their rather charming trait of sucking the light and love out of a soul, leaving nothing but pain,” there were hints of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke making Harry smile a little. Even when speaking of a monster which could attack and result in death he was sarcastic.

“For people like us,” Severus gestured to himself, Tom and Harry, “They are particularly nasty because we don’t have many happy memories,” he explained. Severus slipped his wand out of his holster and looked at Harry before saying, “There is a charm we learn, it’s called a patronus, it protects a wizard. It’s made of pure light and love, only this one is so aggressive that it chases dementors away rather than allowing them to feed on it in corporeal form,” he said as he mumbled the familiar words, expecto patronum. An elegant silver doe appeared before Harry, she bowed her head and waiter for the young wizard to touch her. Her large eyes were locked on the boys.

Narcissa nodded and continued, “Not all of us can produce a corporal one so we settle for shields which are equally useful, the dementors end up feeding off of the shield and not us.” Harry looked at the group, clearly this wasn’t the first time they had run into something like a Dementor and he was a little too scared to ask. He looked up at a pair of amused red eyes looking back at him. “Now we have to start Tom’s coming out, but how?” asked Narcissa as she changed topics to something a little more pressing.

Severus was quiet and lost in thought, Harry could tell the man was very attentive but far more comfortable with his potions than he was with planning things of this nature. “We could throw a party, but first Tom has to go to Gringotts to collect his ring,” said Draco, “The only thing is who do we get to see him first? It has to be someone who tends to gossip.”

Severus, Lucius and Tom looked at one another before saying in unison, “Rita Skeeter.” The name rang a few bells with Harry, thanks to Lucius constant complaints about what the paper was printing and just what she was writing. “Who’s Mrs. Skeeter?” asked Harry curiously. Tom chuckled as Lucius turned a vivid shade of red and was about to launch one of his rather long rants when Narcissa placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him. “Skeeter is the name of a rather famous reporter and gossip hound, all Tom has to do is bump into her and flaunt the Gaunt ring and he’s off to the races. She’ll be all over him in no time flat, the woman is tactless,” she stated with a hint of venom.

“Basically she will print the news faster than you can say Late Edition,” Severus clarified. Harry nodded and looked up at Tom who looked more like a muggle at the moment than most of the wizard population. He knew Tom was far older than he looked, but couldn’t help but wonder just how crazy women would go seeing him. There was denying the fact that the elder wizard was attractive, and Tom quite frankly knew he was. “There is still the issue of Harry,” said Lucius thoughtfully. Severus looked at the boy in question and swept some of his hair from his face, his eyes were sharp as though he were attempting to decide something.

Lucius tilted his head to the side thoughtfully as Narcissa loosened her grip on a now relaxed Draco. “I’ve got an idea!” chirped the young scion, “Just glamour him to look like Tom’s nephew.” Harry and Tom looked at Draco curiously, “That way you can protect him and with the Gaunt name he is then related to the Blacks and Malfoys so it’s not strange to see him with us, we just have to make sure it sticks after Gringotts, since it would be strange for you to go without him,” the platinum blonde scion explained even further.

There was silence in the room as the four adults exchanged looks, “Guys?” asked Harry curiously, a smile swept across Severus’ lips as Lucius got off the floor and dusted himself off. “Harry would you like to be a member of my family?” asked Tom curiously. Harry felt a wave of shock run through him as looked up at Tom. He could see affection in his crimson eyes, something akin to what a parent had for their child, it made his heart lighter, he would have a family. “Yes,” he replied happily.

The Malfoy patriarch hummed as he dusted his robes off and fixed his hair, “Well then, that’s settles, I must be off to draft the paperwork, and contact Abraxas, we will need him to do this,” he explained, “I also need to see what my father knows about tearing down wards,” he tacked on at the end. Narcissa was next to rise, gently pulling Draco up with her, “Tom, I will look up the charm but in the mean time, may I have access to your home?” she asked. Tom waved his hand and smiled warmly, “Of course, my home is yours to remodel, who better than one of the best in the industry?” he asked.

Harry watched her eyes light up as she swept the black streak of her hair behind her ear. Draco looked at his mother, silently pleading to go with her. “Yes Draco go with her, I have a feeling it’s a two person job,” said Tom causing the young Malfoy to shout with joy and follow his mother.

Harry watched the three Malfoy’s go, leaving himself, Tom and Severus on the floor. “Harry, I want to check your head since you hit it pretty hard, why don’t you come with Tom and I to the lab?” he asked softly as he gently lifted his hand from Harry’s shoulder. The young wizard nodded, he expected to get off Tom’s lap only to find himself being shifted in the Wizard’s arms and lifted. “Just relax, I know you're tired,” whispered Tom before he pressed a kiss to the boy’s head as Harry’s arms slipped around his neck.

Severus smiled as Tom carried Harry down the hallway, trailing closely behind beaming with delight the entire time.

~~WL~~

Diagon Alley was bustling with witches and Wizards it was a weekend and everyone was attempting to get their errands done. The sound of chatter filled the air, the scent of sweets, potion’s ingredients, and pages of parchment swept through the alley. No one noticed a handsome young wizard dressed in a black suit, tailored to perfection, with a mint green dress shirt, silver and green ascot, tightly fitted black vest, and brown leather belt with matching brown oxfords. His red eyes glistened in the light of the alley as he stepped into it. A beautiful black velvet cloak was wrapped around his person with an emerald green liner, it was draped from one shoulder loosely, a silver chain and cameos were tacked on either side. He slipped his hand into his pocket as the wind ruffled his chocolate brown hair and looked over his shoulder.

A young boy with rather unruly brown hair appeared behind him with glistening emerald green eyes, he was dressed in a dark royal blue suit with a crisp pale blue shirt, brown belt and brown oxfords. Unlike the first, this young wizard was far younger and didn’t wear a tie, his collar was open and he had a pair of aviators on. Without hesitation the pair stepped away from the shop and began walking toward the goblin run bank, Gringotts. It wasn’t until he was in the street a number of women turned their attention to the wizard, his lips curled as he continued walking down the street. There was a whisper as he walked, his chin parallel to the earth and he moved like a jaguar, calm, cool and collected, yet read to strike.

“Hadrian, remind me to pick up that package from Madame Malkin's,” the elder of the pair stated a she looked to the side. Harry nodded and grinned, he could feel all their eyes on him and it was a strange feeling to be the center of attention, not that he minded it. Oddly, when walking beside Tom he felt powerful, as though he were on the top of the world. He had seen the Dark Lord in suites before, but this one was lethal and he knew it, Severus looked as though he were going to attack Tom.

“Of course, Uncle Marvolo,” he replied with a smile. It had been strange to call Tom, Marvolo at first, however after a while it came like second nature. Tom nodded as he walked briskly up the steps of the bank. Harry stared at the doors and paused, he still remembered the conversation in the lab.

“If the bank is enchanted to remove glamorous and such, wouldn’t the one we put on me wear off?” Harry asked curiously as he looked at Tom who was leaning against the counter across from him. Severus had placed him on top of one and was currently checking for a concussion. “Yes, but if I adopt you through the bank and claim you as my heir the Goblins will agree to my terms and allow the glamour to be reapplied after visiting the vault before going out,” he explained.

Severus’ experienced fingers swept over Harry’s skull gently as he continued looking for a bump. Harry hissed as the man’s fingers swept over the knot and the Potion’s master pursed his lips. “I’ll get you a pain relief potion and a little ice for your head,” he stated as he dropped his hands and turned to his many cabinets. “It should work, the plan, we just have to make sure a certain meddling coot is preoccupied,” Tom stated. Severus smiled deviously and looked at Tom, he was clearly up to something. He unstopped the bottle of pain reliever and held it out to Harry, his dark eyes were sparkling with mischief. “I’ve got that covered, with the assistance of a very bored pair of gingers,” stated Severus happily.

Harry lifted the bottle to his lips and as he feared the rather vile liquid stung his tongue. It tasted like sour milk and gym socks. Severus glared at the young wizard, daring him silently to spit it out. Harry swallowed diligently for fear that the Potion’s Master would make him boil leaches, again. Severus looked satisfied and held his hand out for the glass bottle.

“You didn’t,” Tom breathed, his eyes were wide with shock and he looked as though he were both proud and terrified at the same time. “Gingers?” asked Harry slowly, his eyes fluttered between the pair as Severus nodded. “The only Weasley Twins, I instructed the Slytherins to provoke them, so I expect quite the reply from the Gryffindors. Nothing short of extravagant to be frank,” he stated as though it were simple fact. Tom was grinning and suddenly his slouched posture straightened he looked very amused by this idea. “Severus, just how far will these pranksters go?” he asked.

The Head of Slytherin shrugged before looking clueless and replying, “All the way, just short of the castle falling to rubble.” Tom looked at the man before him, and Harry could tell he was radiating appreciation and pride that the Potion’s Master embraced his usual ways. “You have to show me the prank when they’re done, I’ve heard they are quite something,” he commented, “In fact, I would love to play with them some time.”

Severus was often seething about the pair of gingers, and from what he heard they were skilled. He looked at Tom and had a feeling that if the man leaning on the counter played a game with the twins it would be an interesting one.

“Hadrian?” asked Tom curiously snapping the boy out of his memory. “Yes?” replied Harry as he looked at the pristinely dressed Dark Lord. Tom flashed a smile as he continued up the stairs and opened the doors, “Let’s go, we have a lot to do,” he stated. The bank was enormous inside and the pair were quick to walk up to the Goblin at the end of the room. The Book Keeper looked up and asked, “How may I help you?” his voice was harsh on the ears and it sounded more like a growl than speech. Tom smiled as he held up a beautiful black key, it was covered in vines and had a serpent wrapped around it.

The Goblin before them stared at the key and then to Tom, “Welcome back Lords Gaunt and Potter,” he greeted as his eyes shifted to Harry. The young wizard stared in shock at the Goblin, already they were in trouble.


	11. Power Plays

Tom and Harry stared at the creature before them, Tom had a feeling the Goblin would spot him, however, he hadn't anticipated that the creature could detect Harry as well. The Dark Lord took a step so he was standing between Harry and the Goblin, "Good Afternoon," he greeted smoothly, his voice was inviting, but his body language spoke a different tone. His red eyes narrowed as he looked at the creature with large ears and a rather big hooked nose that actually made Severus' flattering. The Goblin was balding and had a number of warts, it's sharp teeth were yellowed and decayed. While Goblins were superior bankers, they were never the most physically appealing creatures.

"What can I do for you Mister Riddle?" asked the Goblin as it placed it's quill down, it's small black eyes glared at him through small wire frames. "I would like to claim my place as Lord Gaunt," said Tom sternly. He had refused the first time in claiming the title, even though it was indeed his birthright, at the time he hadn't believed it was necessary. Only now did he realize that was unwise, it would have been better for him to become a member of Wizengamot than it would have been to run around as the Dark Lord. Tom internally sighed at his own foolishness, brute force was never a way to achieve his desires, it was through tactful deals and negotiations that the real work was done.

The Goblin smiled at him, its black eyes flickered to Harry again, "I see, and will the Potter Scion be naming Gradient of his assets today?" he asked. Tom looked at Harry and replied, "Yes, however, we would like to do something else, I would like to claim him as my heir." The Goblin was puzzled for a moment and leaned back in his seat, "I see, this can be done, however you must apply to the Ministry for full custody and once you have obtained such I may release the Potter Assets to you for management," he replied hesitantly. Tom grit his teeth, it was taking everything he had to not lash out at the creature, "Why would you take him in? You desired to kill him not so long ago," it stated.

Tom stiffened, his crimson eyes narrowed before he could berate the Goblin the Manager of the branch stepped in. "Ragnarok, enough," snapped the Head Goblin. The shorter Goblin was dressed in a suit and stood tall, it's hands were behind it's back and looked rather well groomed for a Goblin. In reality Tom had a great deal of respect for Goblins, they were a crafty race and were to never be underestimated, yet at the same time they were rather difficult to deal with. The Goblin behind the desk growled as walked across the floor and stood before Harry and Tom. He was shorter than Harry but a great deal older.

"I apologize sincerely Mister Riddle, I will be handling your affairs personally from here," stated the Head Goblin, his professionalism was commendable as he extended his hand to shake. Tom smirked as he accepted it and replied, "May this dealing be a healthy and prosperous one, in which both our vaults grow." Rangock smiled and nodded before guiding them into his office. It was larger and rather lavish for a goblin. Harry's eyes widened as he looked up, looming above them was a beautiful glass dome. "Now then Mister Riddle, you have expressed interest in claiming your title," began the Goblin as it flickered through several feet of parchment.

Tom watched as the creature looked over the pages, "Titles are based on blood and magic, since you are the end of the Gaunt Line you may claim the ring," he stated as he placed the pages on his desk, Tom noticed a file out with his name on it and looked at the Goblin before him curiously. The Head Goblin smiled and stated, "Lord Malfoy called earlier informing me that we would be introducing a new Lord today." Tom smiled at the mention of Lucius, of course the man had called it in, the blonde had a way of making things happen and it was a well-known fact that his business had also made the goblins rich.

The Head Goblin snapped his fingers causing a silver box to appear on the rosewood desk, it was a glistening silver cube with scrollwork along the sides, an elegant silver rope had been forged around the box. Tom's eyes glided over the intricate work, it was quite clearly Goblin made, resting on top proudly amongst the scroll work with a snake wrapped around it was the Gaunt Crest. The Head Goblin slipped a long silver blade out of the drawer of his desk and placed it before Tom. "Your magical signature and blood will open the box, both are required to collect the ring Mister Riddle. The ring has a choice in the matter, if it sees you as able, it will slip on your finger and can not be removed, if not you can not claim it," stated the Goblin.

Tom nodded, he could remember this lecture from Lucius, the blonde aristocrat felt it necessary to inform Tom of all the nuances, hence the velvet cloak. Once the ring was claimed he had full access to the vaults and the registry of Lords at the Ministry would automatically update. He slowly collected the black handled silver blade from the desk and held his hand over the box. Something grabbed his arm, small delicate hands wrapped around his arm, he looked over to see Harry's wide eyes staring at him with concern. "Don't worry," Tom said soothingly, "This is necessary and there is nothing on the blade." Harry bobbed his head but didn't look convinced.

The long and thin silver blade winked in the dim lights of the office, without a second thought he slit his palm, he didn't even feel it bite his skin. A ribbon of crimson fell from his fingers and fell to the crest. There were a spark and a flash of green as his blood slipped into the crest, and quickly spread. His eyes widened as the blood swept through the scroll work which covered the box, slipping down each and every one of them. He pulled his hand away and held it close to his heart to stop the dizzy feeling which had swept over him.

His eyes followed the trails as he watched the silver box's vines go from pure silver to blood red. It swept through them as though they were veins and quickly entered the scales of the serpent, he heard a gasp from behind him and realized Harry was as awed by this as he was. The crimson ribbons ended in the snake's eyes, the silver serpent hissed,  _"Speak."_

The Dark Lord blinked it was clearly a challenge to any member of the family to see if they were truly a Gaunt.  _"Open,"_ he commanded, the snake blinked it's now blood red eyes before uncoiling from around the box, only now did Tom realize it wasn't scroll work but the coils of a serpent. He was confused for a moment when the serpent had finished uncoiling, there wasn't a ring in the box. The silver serpent blinked as it lifted half it's body of the desk.

" _Lord Gaunt,"_ it proclaimed causing Tom to blink owlishly. In a flash the silver serpent was in the air leaping toward his hand, he was about to jerk away when he felt it's cold silver body wrap around his finger. His jaw dropped as he watched the serpent finish coiling around his finger, the Gaunt crest now resting on top with two others on each side, the head of the serpent resting on top of the Gaunt crest.

He looked at the ring in wonder, it had stopped moving, he felt his magic surge as the ring accepted him. "Lord Gaunt," greeted the Head Goblin graciously with a slight bow, "Welcome back." He smiled and nodded as the Goblin placed a phial of Essence of Dittany on his desk. Immediately the Dark Lord grabbed the bottle and applied it, hissing with discomfort as he did so, it always hurt when Dittany was used to knit skin back together. Honestly there was a time he swore it actually hurt more to use Dittany on an injury than it had been receiving it.

There was a rustle of paper drawing Tom's attention to the Head Goblin once more, he noticed the file open and the Goblin was creating stacks, "Now Lord Gaunt, according to the bank and ancient magical right you are the head of your house, this is a list of all your vaults and ancestral holdings, I also have a roster of your vault contents, and finally a Genealogy Record," he stated. Tom listened intently and held up his hand when the Goblin said the last item. "Genealogy Record?" he asked slowly, he had heard of familiar charts and ancestral diagrams but a document of a Bloodline seemed odd.

The Head Goblin smiled as he pulled out a red colder and placed it before Tom, "This is your Genealogical Chart, it will tell you just who you are related to and your ancestors," he stated as he pushed it toward the elder wizard. Tom hummed as he picked up the thick volume and opened it, there were sheets of parchment tacked together, he flickered through the pages only to stop at the last one, his name was supposed to be the last and only one. His eyes widened as he looked at the sheet. "No," he whispered and leaned back in his seat, his head spun and he dropped the folder.

"Lord Gaunt," the Head Goblin gasped as it leaped over the desk to the wizard's side. Tom's vision tunneled as his stomach flipped, "I'm afraid I gave the crest too much blood, I must be hallucinating," he mumbled as he raked his hand over his face. The Head Goblin asked in a panic, "Shall I call a healer?" Tom shook his head, the last thing he wanted to hear was Narcissa having a conniption over the fact that he had passed out at the bank. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Harry pick up the book, the young man looked at the last page and his mouth popped open in a rather undignified manner.

Harry ran his fingers over the page as though he were trying to determine if the page before him was real. "Lily Evans," he read slowly, his emerald green eyes lifted and he looked at Tom in confusion. "I thought you were an only child," Harry commented.

All the while Tom's world was spinning. Evans was the name of the girl Severus wanted him to keep safe. Lily Potter nee Evans was Harry's mother. He held his head for a moment as pieces fell into place, If Lily was his sister, that meant Harry was his biological nephew. He was being charged with killing his own sister and attempting to kill his nephew, the only family that remained.

Tom's head snapped up as a small warm hand wrapped around his arm, "Marvolo?" asked Harry curiously, his large green eyes were looking down at him, they were filled with concern. The Dark Lord was confused for a moment as he replied, "Yes?" Harry's hand remained on his arm, he could tell the boy was shaking where he stood and internally growled, those horrible muggles had done this to his nephew. "What's wrong?" asked Harry slowly. Crimson eyes narrowed as the Dark Lord looked at him in confusion, his brows knit as he did so.

"You're crying," said Harry slowly, Tom reached up dumbly and touched his cheeks, he felt the moisture on them and swept the evidence of his pain away with his fingers. He flashed Harry a smile before pulling Harry into his arms, the young wizard stiffened as he did so from shock, obviously the boy hadn't been expecting this. "Harry," breathed the elder wizard as he clung to the boy, his only remaining family. He buried his nose in raven locks once more, "Marvolo?" asked Harry again, curiosity ebbing in his voice. There was a hum and the Head Goblin said, "Mister Potter, it would appear that Lord Gaunt has learned that he is the last of his family."

Tom looked over Harry's shoulder to see the Goblin holding the book, there was a knowing gleam in his eyes. Tom gave the creature a watery smile as he nuzzled Harry's neck, for once someone else decided to lie for him. Harry wasn't ready to know, he had to talk to Severus first, after all Lily was the woman Severus loved and he wasn't about to tell the young Potter scion he was actually the last of the Gaunt line. He slowly released the young boy, he had to get Severus to begin that paternity potion, it was perhaps the only way to unravel the mystery of the boy's origins. Harry wrapped his arms around the wizard and Tom silently thanked the Goblin, "I'm sorry," said Harry softly.

Those two words were filled with sorrow as the boy's arms tightened their hold on him. The Dark Lord slowly pulled back and said softly, "Don't be, now let's see to your business." Harry nodded and looked over at the Goblin with a hint of excitement as well as nervousness. He could tell the young wizard wanted to desperately learn what the Goblin knew of his family. Not that Tom could blame him, Harry didn't even know his parent's names, aside from what little Severus had told him. The Potion's Master was constantly on call and after the incident with dementors he was now working tireless with Narcissa to prepare his manor and create stores for it.

The Head Goblin pulled out the Potter folder and hummed, "Now then, Mister Potter. You currently have Albus Percival Winifred Brian Dumbledore as the Guardian of your Assets," he stated.

Tom froze, the elderly Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had named himself as Advisor. He held up his hand and looked at the Goblin sternly, "Hold on, what did the Potter Will state?" he asked. The Head Goblin was silent for a moment before responding, "It wasn't found and the Potter solicitor was murdered before a copy was handed to us, I have a guardianship document signed by the Minister for Magic," he stated. Tom was silent, this was something he hadn't seen coming, "Who's being charged with the crime?" he asked slowly. The Potter Will had been lost, it never made it to the bank which meant it had to have been lost after creation before it could get into the books.

The Head Goblin looked at Tom and replied, "Lord Voldemort," he was careful to not say Tom specifically and the elder wizard was thankful because he hadn't told Harry just who the world thought he was. If Albus claimed he was working in Harry's best interests than he had gained control of the Potter fortune, making the Headmaster far too powerful. Now he had a real reason to name Harry his heir, "It will take a few days to finish the draft for the scion paperwork you requested Lord Gaunt," the Head Goblin began, snapping Tom to attention. "I can change his manager and name a new Solicitor for the account, however," the Goblin advised.

Harry was looking at the Goblin and then to Tom, both of them looked at the boy. "I want Lord Gaunt to manage my accounts and Lord Malfoy to act as my solicitor," he stated hesitantly. Tom smiled a little and looked at the boy, Albus would have a conniption when that letter was delivered. "Yes, of course," the Goblin picked up a quill and made the changes, "I shall inform the esteemed Supreme Mugwump of the change," he jabbed. Tom's lips curled at the sneer, he couldn't wait to read the release stating his coming out as well as the alteration of advisement. "Excellent, is there anyway I can claim him as my scion?" asked Tom curiously.

There was silence in the room, Harry looked hopeful as he watched the Goblin mull over their options mentally. "No, I can speed the papers up, so you will have them by tomorrow. I will send them with an elf and then spell the pages to return here automatically once signed," said the Goblin after a moment. Tom smiled, clearly the Head Goblin had been thinking about just how far the Head Master's reach was. The Dark Lord nodded and replied courteously, "Of course, it would be a pleasure."

Goblins were into ventures which they seen as mutually beneficial, the Potters had a vast number of vaults and this gave them a great deal of say over how the bank was run. Few knew it but the oldest wizarding families had the greatest amount of influence in banking and many of them over time had decided to work alongside goblins rather than have goblins serve them, to build not only their personal wealth but that of the Goblin nations. Albus wasn't into such power, he never wanted the goblins to have control over the bank and investing, he was always afraid that this would cause the goblins to brow beat wizards, on top of the fact the Headmaster had always seen them as beneath him.

"Excellent you will see the pages tomorrow," stated the Head Goblin as he noted something and looked at the pair. He was about to send them out when he remembered something, he paused and looked at his desk. "A moment," he said softly as he opened a drawer and walked over to Harry. In his small hands was a black pouch with the Potter crest on it. "I'm unable to give you the Lordship ring, however I can give you your seal," he stated as he held the bag out to Harry. "Your mother and father would have wanted you to have it, as well as your vault key," he said slowly.

Tom was confused for a moment until the Head Goblin began, "I met your mother, she was the first in a long time, to treat me as an equal rather than a servant, other than Lords Gaunt and Malfoy as well as Professor Snape." Harry opened the pouch and watched the ring fall out of it. The gold band had a raised version of the Potter crest on the face of the ring. Harry slowly slipped it on his finger and held it up to the light, he smiled warmly, Tom felt his heart warm at this. The boy was overjoyed to have the ring, it was what remained of the Potters and one of the few pieces of jewelry he had access to currently. Harry pulled out the key and held it to Tom, "Here, I don't want to lose it," the boy stated.

The Dark Lord nodded as he collected the key and looked at the Head Goblin, there was a spark of hope in his eye. Something told him to return on a later date to see just what Albus had been up to.

~~xXx~~

Creaky floors, broken windows and doors hanging off the hinges were three common elements that made Draco cringe. The Estate was a mess, he stared open mouthed at the castle which was slowly falling to ruin, and clearly Tom hadn't inhabited it in a long time. The walls were covered in vines, the masonry was crumbling and the gardens were currently a jungle. Every inch of the interior was covered in a cobweb and dust, "My god," Draco groaned as he coughed, his mother had popped one of the sheets and was sliding it off the furniture.

Narcissa stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips and hummed thoughtfully, "I can work with this," she stated. Draco stared at his mother in disbelief, the house was a far cry from a lavish estate fit for the newest Lord. "Your joking," Draco commented as he stared at the mess. Narcissa clicked her tongue as she slipped her wand out of her sleeve and winked at her son. "There's nothing we can't do with a little magic," she teased. Draco was about to ask just what she was talking about when she flicked her wand.

The dust vanished as did the cobwebs, the curtains flew open and Draco watched as the room cleaned itself. "Now we just have to breath a little life into this place," she stated as she summoned a house elf, "Draco let's start with swatches and then work from there." The young Malfoy took a seat beside his mother as she opened various books. The young platinum blonde took a seat beside her and nodded, Tom's estate had to be elegant, refined and utterly stunning. He was going to be posing as one of the youngest and wealthiest Lords in Wizarding Europe, which meant a great deal of work had to go into the design. Attention to detail was the key to creating a mansion fitting of the wizard; it had to be grand, elegant and utterly intimidating.

Draco watched Narcissa's eyes flicker over the pages of the books, while conjuring furniture was a wonderful thing, it didn't surpass the stability of a real piece of furniture. Transfiguration had its limits. It was customary for a new Lord to christen a house with a party, an exclusive event where the elite would gather and have fun, it wasn't as stiff as the galas held by the Ministry but just as crucial. This gathering of people had to give the Wizarding World a taste of just who the new noble was. Draco smiled as he remembered his first party, it was loud, wild and fun. The host was supposed to reveal a great deal about himself, but a little at the same time. It was a delicate balance that had to be kept intact to ensure success.

"Dragon," called Narcissa. The young man looked at her and noticed Sage standing beside her, "Severus would like your assistance in the lab, Tom asked him to brew a new stock of potions and put in a decent Lab," she continued. Draco smiled a little and nodded, he would never admit it but he enjoyed spending time with Severus, the intricacy of potions amused him, and he knew as much as Harry hated it, he liked them as well. Draco followed Sage through the halls, he noticed house elves working tireless, they were new and dressed in Gaunt colors.

Draco looked around curiously as he continued through the halls of the massive mansion. Paintings covered the walls as well as tapestries, there were antiques scattered throughout as well as photos of the family. The walls were a deep blue for the most part, occasionally he came across a deep burgundy and dark forest green, but for the most part the Guants seemed partial to the darkest shade of blue he had ever seen. Many of the wizards in the frames were indifferent to Draco, they were staring aimlessly into the hallway, bored and rather un-amused about the fact that the house was being polished once more.

"You'd think they'd be happier," Draco mumbled as he continued following sage, he turned the corner and sighed, part of him wondered just how large the estate was, it could easily give the Malfoy's a run for their money. The walls turned into a bright tan, with a brighter wood trim making Draco stop in his tracks, the entire house was dreary and yet this hallway wasn't. He looked at the white curtains that were dancing in the wind, the windows had been opened and he noticed he had a clear view of the ocean. The young wizard's mouth popped open as he walked over to the windows, only to realize a majority of them were open. The scent of the ocean caressed his nose, he loved the smell of the salt from the sea and could hear the cry of gulls.

"Whoa," he whispered as he stood in the threshold of a pair of massive glass doors, he noticed a pair of snakes was the handles had been polished to perfection and hummed, this portion of the house was warm. "Quite a view isn't it?" asked a voice behind him. The young blonde spun around and looked down the hallway curiously, the voice was deep yet familiar. "Over here," it instructed Draco followed the sound and found himself looking at a man with ocean blue eyes and wavy chestnut hair, his features were strong but slightly rounded giving him an air of elegance. He was tall and lean, similar to Tom in build. "Hello, you must be Abraxas' son," the man stated as he slipped to the bottom of the frame of the painting and sat cross legged on the floor.

Draco shook himself out of his stupor, aside from Tom's eyes being wine red and his hair being chocolate brown, the man in the painting could easily be him. It was startling to notice the resemblance between them. "No, I'm his grand son, Draco," the young blonde replied as he continued to admire the man in the painting. "I see, I'm Alcester, it's a pleasure to meet you young Draco," he greeted. Alcester smiled warmly as he did so, he didn't look nearly as threatening as many of the other portraits had.

Draco looked at Alcester curiously, he didn't act or even appear dressed as all the other portraits. The young looking lord was dressed in a rather large black shirt with strings on the chest used as a closure. He had a tight pair of leather pants, he had a pair of leather boots on and was wearing a cream colored vest. "Forgive me, but um why are you the only portrait in this hall?" he asked curiously. Alcester chuckled as he slipped his hands over his thighs, "That would be because of what I used to do for a living, I'm sure you'll learn about me," he stated as he smiled coyly. Draco was even more confused, his father had been teaching him a great deal of what he was to expect from the History classes at Hogwarts but never once did they mention an Alcester Gaunt.

"I've never heard about you," he said slowly as he peered up at the portrait cautiously, there was a look of confusion on the elder's face before realization seemed to dawn on him. "Ah that's probably because my life has now been shrouded in shadows. Well I am the first of many wizards to have crafted the Archives, I created the delicate magic woven into the walls and became the first Archivist at the age of 24," he explained. Draco was confused for a moment, he knew the Ministry had archived however he had no idea what he was talking about, it was impossible for a wizard at the age of 24 to be the archivist. That was when he remembered his father mumbling something about an archive with flying books and moving shelves.

Draco's head snapped up as he looked over at the long plum colored robe draped over a chair haphazardly in the corner of the painting, the resilient crest was visible in gold thread. "You, you created the archive with moving books," whispered Draco in awe. Alcester chuckled and crossed his arms, his eyes narrowed playfully as he inquired, "I thought you hadn't seen my work?" Draco shook his head and looked at Alcester with wide eyes, "I haven't, but my father has. He was ranting about it," he commented. Alcester chuckled and shook his head, there was a large smile on his lips as he did so, "Typical Malfoy, if the world isn't run according to the order they created, it's there for a problem," he stated.

Draco crossed his arms at the remark and shot, "No only my father is like that, he's a solicitor, not all of us are," he defended. Alcester was about to say something when a cough got his attention, the wizard looked up and Draco noticed another man leaning on the side of the frame. He had dark olive tones skin, and nearly black short hair. He was dressed in a long sherwani that fell just below the knee in midnight blue with elegant scroll work in gold, he was wearing a pair of white pants, they were billowing slightly as he moved and wore a pair of dark slippers with embroidery covering their tops and pointed toes. His bright green eyes were the most shocking feature of the man who was now twirling his wand. "Alcester, it's not nice to tease a boy about his lineage," stated the other wizard, his voice was deep and run in the frame, there was a hint of a Hindi accent in it making Draco stare at the man.

Alcester hummed and leaned back on his palms, his legs were stretched out in front of him as he did so and he pointed his toes, "Amar, what's up?" he asked curiously as he looked at the other wizard in the frame. "You abandon me in such a state," he stated as he slipped behind Alcester, the wizard was smirking as Amar slipped his hands over Alcester chest, "Leaving me to my own devices, is very rude of you," he hissed. Draco's mouth dried as he watched Amar press a kiss to the side of Alcester's neck. Broad olive toned hands slipped over Alcester chest, and he stared at the former Gaunt Lord as his eyes became half lidded and hazy, "Amar, there's a child," he gasped as Amare slipped a hand under his shirt.

Confusion hit the young Malfoy, he knew members of the opposite gender were often in relationships but he had never seen those of the same together. Amar looked at Draco and grinned, "He's plenty old enough, I saw far more at his age," Amar stated before nipping Alcester's ear. Draco blushed brightly as he watched Alcester gasp and lean into the larger wizard's embrace. "Times have, changed," gasped Alcester, his ocean blues were tinted black because his pupils dilated. Amar ignored him and continued. Draco stepped back and said, "It was nice to meet you but my Uncle needs me, Severus." Amar's motions came to a halt as he looked at the boy, "Severus?" he asked curiously, his hand was still under Alcester's shirt and his green eyes looked strikingly like Harry's.

"Yes, Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House," replied Draco stiffly. Amar grinned as Alcester whimpered under his touch. "My, my, I have heard that name plenty of times before, he's very famous in our circles. I'm surprised he doesn't have a portrait in the hall of Masters yet, he will probably be placed beside mine," he stated. Draco froze, Amar, now he knew the name, "You're Amar Hashish, the famous Indian Potion's Master, you're renown for your work on blood potions and healing potions," gushed Draco. Amar smiled and nodded, "You show promise, you're Uncle is impressive, I wish him luck, now if you'll excuse me I have some unfinished business with this wizard," he stated with a wolfish grin. Draco nodded and was quick to run away, he hadn't seen something like that before.

Standing at the end of the hallway was Sage, she tilted her head to the side and looked at Draco in confusion. "Young Master?" she asked, "Are you ill?" It wasn't until now he remembered that he was still blushing brightly. Draco nodded causing the House Elf to nod and continue down the hallway. Sage stopped short of a pair of double glass doors, with wooden frames, similar to those from his own home which separated the lab from the rest of the house.

Draco slowly opened both doors and stared, it was nearly identical to the one in Malfoy manor, the only difference was Severus had drains put into the floor. There was light in every part of the room except the cupboards, and the hearths were larger. "Wow," whispered Draco as he looked up only to see that this room had a large glass dome, magic must have controlled the tinting. Severus walked out with a box of books and huffed as he looked at them, "I should have put more shelves in," he grumbled, his hands were on his hips and he glared at the box accusingly. As though it was somehow the book's fault that he didn't put in enough shelves.

"You always said you could never have enough books," stated Draco with a grin. Severus looked up from the book and sighed, he looked tired at that moment and the young Malfoy heir had a feeling the Potion's Master hadn't slept in a few days. "I can't until Tom's grand Gala, he asked me to make potions for his stores," he replied as he placed the book on the table. He walked over to the young blonde and tapped the counter, "Today you'll be making Bruise Balm and Burn Lotion, I also was hoping you would try your hand at Blood Replenisher," he stated. Draco nodded with a grin, he loved getting personal tutoring from Severus, it gave him an edge. Harry often joined them, but Tom had taken him that morning to the bank, something about fixing an injustice.

"Okay, I'll start with the bruise balm," he stated a she walked over to the counter and looked at the page Severus had set out with the procedure and ingredients on it. He knew the potion by heart but wanted to make sure he had everything he required to make it properly. Severus smiled as he walked over to the caldrons and picked one. "Okay, just remember to measure the ground garnet by weight, rather than volume," he stated as he placed the caldron on a stand and lit the burner. Draco nodded as he grabbed the ingredients, they were literally in all the same places they had been at Malfoy manor. Now he understood why Severus kept the set up the same, since he was jumping between labs so often it was easier to keep the same layout so he always knew where everything was.

Draco quickly began preparing ingredients and hummed as he watched Severus walk back over to his shelves and began putting his books on them. "Uncle Sev," called Draco after a moment. The Potion's Master hummed and looked over at Draco, one of his eyebrows was arched and he looked at the young blonde curiously. It was the same look he usually received whenever Draco asked a question about ingredients preparation. "Is it possible for two men to have a relationship?" he asked slowly.

Severus continued looking at the spine of his books and asked, "What kind? Relationships vary." Draco nodded as he gazed into his caldron it was currently blue and looked to be just the right consistency before adding the powdered Dragon's Fruit, causing it to turn gray. "Romantically, like my parent's marriage," he clarified. There was a loud thud and Draco jumped out of his skin, he whipped around and stared in shock at Severus. The time he had been looking at was now on the floor and the Potion's Master looked slightly alarmed.

Draco tilted his head to the side and noted that the reaction he had just received was far more expressive than the snide remarks Severus usually shot. "What brought this on?" asked Severus as he ran a hand through his hair, sweeping it out of his face and tugging on it lightly, he looked at the floor beneath his shoes, it was a nervous habit of the man's, one very few ever saw and was common when Severus was attempting to figure out the proper approach to a situation. "It is, and it's actually rather common," he replied as he walked over to the work bench.

His steps were measured and as smooth as usual even though he looked rather nervous, "Love is something that can't be bound by simply gender, it's grander and more ambiguous," he said simply. Severus was leaning over the table and glancing into the caldron he gave it a nod of approval before leaning against the bench. The young wizard went back to work and continued, "I saw one of Tom's ancestors in the hallway, he was making out with another man," he explained. Severus seemed to visibly relax, his posture loosened and his face looked less pale, "I see, so you wondered if it were acceptable," he concluded, receiving a nod from the Malfoy scion in exchange.

"Of course it is, not all Wizards gravitate toward woman and the same goes for witches," he stated, it sounded as though he were lecturing a student on the subject. It probably was a common thing in Slytherin, since a number of students were nervous about what their parents would think, since most marital arrangements were made between opposite genders. Draco hummed, he had heard his father mention male pregnancy once to Narcissa who smiled and immediately went to work on helping with the nursery. Yet it wouldn't explain the man's reaction, he seemed indifferent to the concept as he spoke.

Severus sighed and looked at the young Malfoy, "I don't have an issue with gay men, I just don't have pleasant memories of them," he stated before slowly walking away. Clearly desiring to drop the topic since the room had gone silent, silver eyes watched the man bend down and snatch the book up from the floor. His fingers ran over it almost apologetically before sliding it onto the counter and looking at the shelves.

~~WL~~

The day had been long and Harry looked over at Tom who was slipping into his cloak. His red eyes were closed as he made the motion of flipping it over his shoulder effortless. In a matter of hours Harry watched the man Tom Marvolo Riddle turn into Lord Marvolo Gaunt, a new vigorous Lord with a fortune in a half. Harry smiled as he remembered Tom adding him to his family, and claiming him as an heir. Tom turned his attention to Harry and quickly flicked his yew wand out of his sleeve. A tender smile curved the man's lips as he flicked it and cast a glamour over Harry.

"Ready to go Hadrian?" he asked softly as he tucked a stray hair behind Harry's ear. Harry simply nodded and eyed the massive wooden doors nervously, "I want you to stay close to me, I don't know who is in the alley and by now the Lordship list should have updated, meaning they now a new Lord has claimed his title," he stated tightly. Wine red eyes were locked on his and he could sense the urgency in them. Tom protected him, it was as though he would step in front of a car for Harry and the young man wondered if this was what parents were supposed to be like. All his life Harry had been dreaming of a family one like Draco's that would love him to no end and support him. Now he had one with Tom, it wasn't the same but he had a feeling Tom was going to make sure nothing terrible happened to him.

Harry watched as Tom turned his attention to the doors and rolled his shoulders, as though he were a boxer about to step into the ring, a coy smile curved the man's lips as he looked over at Harry and asked, "Ready?" Harry nodded and watched as Tom opened both doors of the bank. Harry's emerald green eyes widened as he looked at the crowd now on the steps, his head spun, there were a ton of reporters, wizards and witches all lined up to get a glimpse of the new Lord. Tom slipped out of the darkness of the bank and onto the pearl white marble steps of the bank. There was silence as the crowd began measuring Tom up.

Tom slipped his hand through his hair, the Lordship ring caught the light as he did so and winked a blond woman. The witch gasped and Harry listened to the roar that followed, it was loud and filled the Alley. Tom moved with his usual predatory grace as he walked down the stairs, one hand was in his pocket while the other was at his side. His shoes clicked against the marble as he moved. Harry followed diligently, several steps behind Tom, and decided to show off a little. Draco had always told him what separated the elite from those below was their power, money and walk. The way they moved, Tom was honestly build for the upper class, everything about him screamed power. Wine red eyes flickered over his shoulder and he winked at Harry in approval as he walked toward the young woman he had winked at.

She had bushy blonde hair and a pair of brown eyes, her lips were bright red and she had long pink nails. A pair of glasses rested on her nose and she had a pad with a quill waiting. "You must be the lovely Miss Skeeter," Tom stated as he stood before her. His red eyes fell on hers and Harry watched the reporter stammer for a moment as she attempted to recover from Tom's full assault on her. "I-I am," she began and swallowed as Tom shifted slightly, his shoulders dropped and he put his weight on one leg, "A pleasure to meet you, I'm Lord Marvolo Gaunt, the newest Lord of Wizingmont, I was hoping you would be interested in interviewing me," Tom said smoothly.

Harry chuckled as Skeeter blushed, he had seen her on many occasions act like a new hound and yet when face with the debonair Tom Riddle she was no match, "Of course Lord Gaunt," she practically purred. Tom smirked before nodding and said, "Come Hadrian, we have robes to purchase." Harry nodded and adjusted his glasses, he noticed how this movement irritated Tom and wondered why. He didn't question it though and followed the new Lord from the crowd, he heard them going wild as he did so, clearly this was going to be in all the papers, Harry looked at Tom and said, "Late Edition."

Tom chuckled and nodded as he continued down the street, "We aren't getting robes yet, I'm taking you to an Ophthalmologist to get your eyes looked at," Tom stated. That explained Tom's irritation with the glasses, Harry looked at him curiously and suddenly realized none of the Lords had glasses. "You'll note that the only house with glasses are the Potters, and even they use corrective procedures," he stated as he turned the corner and took Harry to a rather regal looking shop with a pair of eyeglasses as the sign. Tom opened the shop door and Harry looked around curiously, it looked similar to a muggle Ophthalmologist.

There were rows of frames on the walls as well as mirrors and he noticed a vast number of certificates, by sheer number alone Harry figured this shop was one of the best. He paused when he noticed a few muggle brands including Ray-ban, Prada and Oliver People. He looked confused and glanced at Tom, "They aren't muggle companies, they were magic first, and then realized muggles had more eyes sight issues," he commented as he walked over to the wall and picked up a pair of Tortoise shell O'Malley's from the rack. He hummed and smiled as he placed them back, obviously Tom was interested in them and Harry had a sinking feeling they were very expensive. "Most nobles have sunglasses and readers but nothing extreme, I want to know just how bad your eyes are and if corrective healing is possible," he stated.

Harry nodded and watched a wizard cloaked in white walk out of the back, he wore a pair of gold rimmed glasses and smiled at Harry. "You must be Hadrian Potter," he greeted and extended his hand to Harry before looking over at Tom. "Lord Gaunt," the wizard stated with a slight bow of his head, "I was surprised when I was informed this was your first appointment, I would be more than happy to do a full exam and then we will talk about solutions," the wizard explained. Tom crossed his arms and nodded as Harry sank into a chair as he had been directed.

"Once this is done, you're getting a haircut, we're going shopping for robes, suites, shoes and a few casual looks, you need to expand your wardrobe," stated Tom as the Ophthalmologist pulled out a wand and said, "Mister Potter, look up please and hold still," he said smoothly, clearly he was accustomed to high end clientele, even his speech was formal.

At that point Harry had nothing to say, he was swept away by Tom's generosity but realized that this launch for Tom was also a launch for himself, after all he had been named Tom's heir. There was just one thing he didn't understand, why Tom stared at the page his name was on with Lily beside it. He had been told Tom was an orphan and an only child but from how the chart had read that wasn't true. Yet, he acted as though something terrible had happened to her, Harry mulled it over in his mind, Tom wouldn't have practically crushed him if something hadn't.

All he could conclude was that Lily was special he just didn't know why. The image of the icy glass lily Severus had given to him appeared in his mind and Harry hummed, perhaps Severus would know. After all, the Potion's Master had given him the flower as though it meant something dear to him.

~~WL~~

The castle was quiet for a moment as the Headmaster looked over the grounds, he could still see the remnants of the stink bombs the twins had set off, there was goo throughout the castle and he had spent most of the day scraping it off the walls. Oddly the castle wasn't harmed, it simply ate through everything else including the house banners, which he had replaced that year as well as several torches, it snuffed them out as though a hand had. Albus was slightly impressed by this feat and sighed, this wasn't typical usually the twins weren't this destructive, it wasn't until that moment when the Slytherins joined in. He could still remember the shrill screams as the mandrake roots were plucked from their pots in the middle of the Great Hall, the exploding toilet sand finally enchantment on the floor of the dungeon causing students shoes to stick to it.

Albus groaned as he raked a hand tiredly over his face, they had chosen a beautiful Sunday afternoon of all things to go to war with one another. He had to hand it to the students though, the spells and enchantments were quite something. He leaned on the wall behind him and tipped his head back. Lucius wasn't making quite as much noise as he had been before, or at least that was what he had been told. Albus looked out at the horizon and stared at an owl flying his way, instantly he recognized it as an official Ministry Owl. The bird swooped over his head and dropped it's mail on the desk. The Headmaster quickly walked over to the desk, he was about to open the mail when he noticed a paper resting on top of them.

"What?" asked the Headmaster as he plucked the paper from the stack and unrolled it. Plaster on the front page was a photo of a smiling young man, he was energetic, passionate and looked as though he had walked out of a painting. The Headline really struck him, "New Lord Claims Title of the Gaunts!" His jaw dropped as he looked at the young man flaunting the Gaunt ring, his eyes were filled with joy as he did so. Albus was about to toss the paper aside when his eyes fell on the young man behind the new Lord, he had large doe like eyes, messy hair and was standing in a tailor made suit. "Potter?' he asked as he flipped to the full article.

His eyes widened as he read before shouting, "FUCK!" and throwing the rag across the room, all of the portraits were suddenly alert and looking at Albus wearily. The Headmaster crossed his arms and growled, this wasn't his plan, he needed Harry subservient, not independent and being groom to be the next Lord Gaunt. He leaned heavily on his desk and glared at the letters, he knew, he knew what they were about. Harry was fighting him and now he had to figure out what to do. "I warned you," stated a familiar voice, its tone was dark and foreboding.

Albus looked up to see Salazar in one of the frames, he was talking to his familiar as he glared heavily at the headmaster. "I warned you not to mess with my heir," he hissed. Albus sneered at the portrait before shouting, "You know nothing!" Salazar crossed his arms and smiled a little, "I know more than you do, that is for certain."

 

 


	12. A House's Secrets

The Ophthalmologist finished his exam with the snap of his wrist and looked to Tom who was lounging in one of the other chairs. His red eyes never left them, watchful and filled with a hint of irritation. The wizard turned to Tom and asked, "May I speak with you alone?" Tom nodded as he walked toward the back of the shop with the other man. He could tell something was very wrong. The wizard before him crossed his arms and tipped his head to the side, his eyes were narrowed and accusing. "Why did you bring him to me with a glamour? I was under the impression I was treating a Hadrian Potter, formerly Harry Potter," seethed the Ophthalmologist.

The Dark Lord paused and looked at him, "He's wearing a minimal one to cover his scar, that won't interfere with his eyes," he replied tersely. The silver-haired wizard pushed his glasses further up his nose, irritation was evident and Tom had a feeling this wasn't good. "No the full glamour placed on him, that one. Why is it even there?" he hissed, "I can't treat that which doesn't truly exist!" Tom was stunned it made no sense he knew the boy was Harry Potter, he had to be it all lined up, or at least according to the evidence it did.

Harry sat quietly waiting for them, he seemed nervous and from what Tom could tell was that the boy was frightened that he had somehow done something wrong. He really needed Severus' potion something like this, a glamour this strong was impossible. He had seen hundred of glamours and none of them were this thick, not even at Gringotts did it dissolve, that spoke in volumes on it's own. "Is there anything you can do in the meantime?" he asked slowly, "I know the prescription isn't right."

There was hesitation as the Ophthalmologist looked at the boy in the chair, "I can correct the prescription and give him new lenses, however, I don't know if corrective procedures are remotely possible," he explained. Tom nodded as he began wondering how it hadn't been seen before, the glamour had to be powerful to go undetected for so long, in fact, it had to be what many would consider impossible. That kind of work didn't exist, or at least it shouldn't.

Tom watched lazily as the Ophthalmologist handed Harry a pair of silver frames, they were platinum but strong and he could tell from the way Harry blinked that the world had somehow come in focus. Now he just had to figure out who the boy was, Harry was turning out to be even more mysterious than his own origins had once been. "Lord Gaunt, I have finished the prescription," announced the wizard. Tom nodded as he handed the man a small pouch, "For your trouble," he stated as he guided Harry out of the shop. He smiled warmly as he looked at the boy, the mystery could wait they had a party to attend.

"Now it's time for a haircut and then some robes," he mused, "We can't have you look as though you got dressed in the dark." Harry grinned and nodded as he scrambled to keep up with Tom's long strides. He knew full well that Narcissa was nearly finished with the mansion and he would be holding the party in a few days. A Lord's Party especially when he was being introduced to a society was a key event, it would show just what kind of Lord he was and his preferences in law. Everything from the very paper of the invitation to the grand menu would reflect his ideals.

Thankfully he had left it to Narcissa, she had been the one who introduced Lucius to their world and now she was more than happy to do such a thing for Tom. After all it wasn't often when a forgotten Lord claimed a title. There was one thing he wanted to see to personally and that was his entrance, usually the count was presented from the top of the stairs, however that wasn't his style. He wanted something grand, dramatic and radically different.

Tom hummed as he looked at the world around him, to think soon enough he was going to be one of the most famous Lords in England. He glanced over at Harry who was watching him intently. "Don't worry, I'm certain this will play in our favor, besides, we have the Malfoys, Blacks, and other families as our allies. I plan on making friends in France, Romania, Germany and a few in Italy as well," he stated. Harry stared at him with large green eyes in awe, obviously the boy hadn't realized just how important it was to make allies yet.

The Dark Lord smiled a little as he looked at the young man, "We can never have too many friends," he stated, winking after doing so and leading Harry to the barber shop. A smile curled his lips, no one could never have too many friends. He opened the door and watched the young man enter, "Shape it, but don't tame it," commanded Tom as he looked at Harry. He had to ensure Harry was still recognizable after all.

~~WL~~

Flowers, silk, velvet, tinsel, lights and charms, all elements required to take elevate the event from a simple gathering to a spectacle. A combination of witches and house elves moved through the house, each of them rushing to do as they were tasked, transform the once broken house of Gaunt and transform it into a lush estate. Crystal, gold leafing, copper, marble, and stained glass, all elements of the old world, all important to status according to the definition of wealth most had been supplied with. It wasn't simply the material that marked the owner's wealth but the uniqueness of a piece and the quality of these objects. Goose feather pillows, cashmere throws, and polished mahogany end tables were placed in sitting rooms.

The world was moving to the impeccable pace of one witch in particular. Her platinum blonde and black hair was tied up in a loose bun, a quill had been tucked behind her fingers as she looked at various items. Gone were the typical long robes of status, and the dresses of tradition. She was dressed in a pair of skin tight muggle jeans, with a baggy sweater which clearly belonged to Lucius, it hung off one of her shoulders and bunched around her waist. She was wearing a pair of heels and smiled, a long lock of her hair had fallen free of her bun as she pointed to an area where she wanted the new table placed.

With the flick of her fingers she had tables moved and entire floors rearranged, there was a reason why she was considered one of the best at what she did. Her keen blue eyes searched the scene for areas of the room that could be accentuated but weren't too cluttered. "I want that in the Dining Room," she stated as she pointed to a massive mahogany table with elegantly carved legs that looked like lions paws, "just make sure the chandelier is secure, I don't need it going through that table. It's 350 years old," she commanded over the shuffle. The house was nearly finished, they were simply adding the final pieces.

The doors from the gardens opened calling her attention to her son, Draco was smiling warmly as he looked at a gardener and stated, "Koi, not Carp, those will surely bring out the section," before walking over to his mother. His hair was loose, he hadn't bothered slicking it back, he was wearing a dress shirt and jeans with a pair of converses, his sleeves had been rolled up and he had managed to gain a slight tan. "The gardens are finished, except for the party elements which will arrive tomorrow," Draco stated as he stood before her. Narcissa smiled warmly as she ran her fingers through her son's soft blonde hair. "Thank you Dragon, I'm shocked Severus let you go," she remarked.

Draco shrugged and chuckled as she glared at an elf who was about to put the orchids in the wrong room. The small creature's eyes widened beyond their typical size of saucers, which was a bit startling, and popped into the right room, it wasn't surprising really, Narcissa was known as quite the woman. Her temper was legendary; in fact it was just as famous as her glare, which do this day still startled Lucius. "He said you would need help and that Lucius isn't what he would consider such," Draco quoted.

Narcissa chuckled and shook her head, Lucius had never been one for interior design, she had furnished all the houses, before she was even a Malfoy. She trembled at the thought of them before she got her hands on them, Lucius was indeed clueless when it came to something's. Draco looked at her sweater in confusion and asked, "Is that Dad's?" The Malfoy matriarch paused and looked at the charcoal gray sweater with a green collar and replied, "Maybe," with a small smirk. Draco straightened in alarm and looked at her as though she were insane. He pinched the bridge of his nose in a motion which reminded Narcissa eerily of Severus when he found something simply that frustrating. Apparently her son had been spending more time with the elegant potion's master than she thought.

The Malfoy scion sighed and slipped his hands on his lips rather defiantly, as though if they were there he would somehow gain the upper hand, "You do realize Dad's going to freak out when he comes out of his bath in Tom's house and realizes you've absconded with his shirt right?" he asked with a playful glare. A smile curled her lips as she looked over at the young man carrying in several arm full of boxes containing Depression glass and elegant crystal, "Honey, that's the point," she tutted as she walked over to the young man. An invoice hovered behind him, "Oh the Emerald Glass is here," she chirped as she whipped out her self-inking quill and signed the pages hovering before her, "Take that to the dining room, Mipsy will assist you from there," she directed as she pointed in the direction of the room.

Draco crossed his arms and arched a brow, looking remarkably like a miniature version of Lucius only making the conversation even more comical in her opinion, "Mom, you're incorrigible, you're in the Dark Lord's house," he stated stiffly. Narcissa glanced at him and chuckled as she walked through the house, her hips swaying as she went thanks to the very tall heels she had chosen. The young wizard quickly dashed after her, as she turned the corner, "Mom, seriously," he griped only to be silence by her harsh glare. She was about to chastise him when she noticed a crooked frame. "Why is it the elves can never do as I ask?" she asked with irritation as she swept past Draco, "Darling do me a favor and make sure I get this straight," she said over her shoulder as she slipped her fingers up the side of the frame.

"Of course," he stated watching his mother as she put her hands in place, her long fingers wrapped around the edges of the frame, which was oddly empty. She began to tip it left when the young wizard noticed a serpent slithering into it. He was about to say something when the snake looked at him and winked. His jaw dropped, it was the same snake from the day the man had told them where to run. His head was spinning as he remembered the serpent's master, it even had the same startling silver eyes. Narcissa tipped the frame even more only for a click to be heard from behind. She jumped back as the wall loosened and swung open, a cloud of dust followed it. She coughed violently; Draco watched her shoulders shake and noticed her eyes tearing from the dust.

He quickly walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Mom?" he asked softly as he rubbed circles into her back. She held up a hand for pause as she slowly straightened and looked at the new hallways before them. "That's not on the blueprints," she stated as she glared at the passage in the wall. Draco slowly looked at the painting and noticed the serpent had once again vanished, and shook his head, clearly his mind was playing tricks on him. Narcissa snapped her wrist causing her wand to slip out of her sleeve, the familiar piece of black wood stood out starkly against her jeans.

With an elegant wave white light poured from it's tip and she looked at the hallway, "Shall we?" she asked curiously. Draco stared at the passage and then to his mother, part of him was telling him to shout no and look for Tom while the other part simply couldn't resist an adventure. After weighing his options and decided to join her, there had to be a reason the same snake had appeared at that moment. "Of course," he stated with a grin, after all it would give him something to do. Slowly and with an air of caution, Narcissa entered the tunnel, her wand giving her an ample amount of light to go by.

~~WL~~

There is an old language, one that was once as widely spoken as English, the Language of Flowers also known as Fluorography. Every single elegant flower has a meaning all her own, for example the Gardenia means a mysterious love, or infatuation. While the Orchid is a compliment it means love, luxury and strength due to the flower's exotic nature. It wasn't uncommon for a vase of such flowers to appear before a suitor as a gift from one another. While it was impossible to express what they felt verbally for fear it would damage the delicate union being attempted between the families, flowers were used. For it was the flowers that could whisper to a woman all they knew, every secret could roll of their leaves and caress their skins.

The lily, a flower that takes on a number of meanings depending on it's hue, is as versatile as a woman's mood. White lilies were symbols of chastity, purity and virtue, while the tiger lily means pride and prosperity. Yet a pure orange lily means hatred, even if the tiger was pride. Even the red lily holds a special meaning, passion, love, desire and warmth. Even though in flowers these special meanings were reserved based on color, there was one lily that defied this. His Lily.

Severus sighed as he looked at the red lily on the table, a smile curled his lips as he thought about how red in the face Lily would get before lecturing an unfortunate soul. It was ironic that the flower meant passion, but it's orange color meant hatred. His potion stained fingers swept over one of the supple red petals, it was softer than silk and just as smooth. It was strange the more time he spent around Tom and Harry, the more he thought of her. He wondered how she would look at him if she learned he was gay, with the only exception being her.

With a great deal of care he picked the flower up and cradled it in his hands as though it would shatter if he moved wrong. Lily, the only woman he could ever love, and even though he hated James, he found himself loving Harry like a son. He smiled to himself as he thought of this, knowing full well Harry wasn't his, the boy never could be. That young man he was watching grow before him would never be his son, but for now, he could enjoy the image of being a father, even if he wasn't the best.

There was a tap on the door causing the Potion's Master to jump to attention. Lucius was standing shirtless, his hair was still wet but that wasn't the alarming part, his face was twisted in pure terror. Severus dropped the flower and dashed over to the door, his gut twisted as he did so. That expression was the same one Lucius wore when the boys were caught with dementors. "What's wrong?" asked Severus as he opened the glass doors of his lab. Lucius was standing before him barefoot and in a pair of slacks. "Narcissa and Draco are missing! The elves don't know where they are and can't see them," he panicked.

Severus blanched at those words, he didn't think Dumbledore would be able to penetrate the heavily warded walls of the Gaunt Estate. In fact, it seemed impossible with just how well woven they were, even Tom was impressed by the ancient work. "We have to find them," Severus stated as he slipped out of the room, "I'll go this way," he stated as he ran off in one direction. His mind was reeling as he thought about his godson, he couldn't lose the young blonde, he loved him too much. "Damn it Draco, just what did you get yourself into?" he seethed as he rounded another corner. There was no way he would allow harm to fall upon the Malfoys, they had given him so much and he owed them a great deal. They were his family.

~~WL~~

It was dark, dank and oddly narrow in this small hallway, it was as though the rest of the house had been built around it. Draco noticed the spider webs hanging like silk from the ceiling and the lack of fear in his mother's movements as she continued through the rather small corridor. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls as loudly as their heart beats. With each step they drifter further into the darkness, "Where does this go?" asked Draco curiously. Narcissa didn't respond, she merely kept her wand before her and pressed forward until she reached what looked like a glass door. "Odd," marveled the Lady as she gently placed her hand against it.

Her fingers left a trail in the dust in their wake, "Glass?" Draco inquired as he watched his mother nod. It was a solid piece that clearly hadn't been cleaned in a while since it was impossible to see through, at the top of the door was a pair of "S" entwined. It was strange to see such an elegant etching in a place where it clearly wasn't meant to be enjoyed. "Salazar Slytherin? He wasn't a Gaunt, was he?" he asked. The glass door vanished at the sound of Salazar's name, "Maybe he is," she replied slowly. Narcissa's eyes widened as she lowered her wand.

Sprawled out before them was a massive room, it was filled with warm browns and natural greens. The walls were lined with books from the floor to the ceiling. Candelabras stood resolute around the room, however they weren't lit, the light they were witnessing fell from a beautiful glass dome up above. Hovering above them was a miraculous stained glass dome, it depicted the sun and the moon in the center of a massive chart. On the ring just outside of the center piece were the phases of the moon, another band was each and every zodiac, after that the constellations were on display. The sun and moon were done in bright yellows and oranges while the outer bands were done in green and dark blue. Each zodiac was done in it's corresponding elemental colors and upon closer inspection Draco noticed a thin band of runes around the rim of the piece.

The floor was an elegant Compass Rose done in black and green marble with silver accents, again runes had been placed around the piece. Sitting directly in the center was a pedestal with a large glass orb, "Where are we?" asked Draco curiously as he stepped into the room. It amazed him the amount of light spilling into it through the ceiling, he absently began to wonder if it was enchanted since the bands seemed to slowly be shifting to mark the time, it was truly a work of art. The room was warm and vaguely familiar, it was as though he had been in it before, yet hadn't. Narcissa stepped in after Draco and followed him closely behind. "So many books," mused Draco as he looked at the shelves, this room had more books than the entire Malfoy collection and he had a feeling there were even more in the house.

Hesitantly, Draco walked over to the orb resting on a pedestal in the middle of the room. He had seen prophesies his father had sketched an image and showed it to him, this wasn't one of those ghastly blue hued orbs, this one was green. At first he thought it was a large piece of emerald only to realize that it wasn't, it was green smoke trapped inside of the glass orb, moving, shifting and folding over itself. "What is it?" asked Draco curiously as he watched the orb slowly shift. With a flash of light the same man from the painting was sitting before him, Alcester Gaunt.

Narcissa gasped in the background but Draco ignored it and watched the young man flash a lopsided grin. His legs were crossed, right over left, his right foot bobbed a little as he leaned back on the large pedestal and looked at Draco. "I had a feeling you would find this room, it's funny, no matter how many years pass every Malfoy finds it. Although it did skip Lucius, he never came to this mansion though," said Alcester. This version knew a great deal more than the portrait had. His ocean blue eyes sparkled with mirth as he watched Draco piece the crumbs that had been left for him together.

Alcester was dressed in a long scholars robe, this one was radically different from the one in the painting, it was black velvet with a beautiful silk emerald green lining. Resting across his collarbone was a beautiful silver chord with a pair of clasps. What made this robe radically different was the beautiful Gaunt Crest embroidered on the chest and the snakes circling his sleeves. His chocolate brown hair fell in his eyes as he shifted. "You're a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, an heir," said Draco slowly. Alcester flashed a smiled, it was warm and encouraging, the opposite of what many would expect of Slytherin's heir.

"I am, but I'll let you in on a little secret, it's important that you keep this to yourself until the time is right," Alcester began, "No matter how hard we try, we can't wipe out that which we care about the most. Even if the thought is gone, the emotions will remain." Draco listened intently, this had to do with mind magic, but he had no idea why the man would be telling him of such a thing. "It's funny, nothing is ever lost, but simply misplaced and it's often in the most obvious of places," he mused.

A cold wind blew through the room, it ruffled Draco's hair as it did so making him pause, slowly he turned and looked at the open door. Just beyond another glass door was the night sky, and just under it was a beautiful cottage. It was covered in vines on one side, with a thatch roof and chimneys; he stared at it and noticed a small gate with a garden before it. "Even the most horrible of things aren't easily forgotten or erased," Alcester stated. Subconsciously Draco began to edge toward the door, only for the image to shift once more.

The young Malfoy came to a pause at the door, the images stopped entirely, "What are you?" asked Draco with fascination. Obviously Alcester wasn't something similar to a painting, he wouldn't be able to influence the world around him. Alcester hummed as he held out his hand causing Amar to sweep into the room. He looked as he had in the portrait only this time he was dressed in red. His hair was combed and his stride was wide but strong, his striking green eyes fell on Draco and he smiled. It wasn't the same smile Draco had seen on the man when they met in the painting, it was a little more like a friend than a rather irate lover.

Narcissa suddenly snapped to life at the appearance of the olive toned man dressed in a bright red Sherwani, only this time it was paired with black and had silver scrolls. He was wearing a pair of black pants and was barefoot. "Who are you?" she asked as she quickly put herself between Draco and the man in question, her wand was drawn. Alcester chuckled at the confused expression on Amar's face.

He pointed to himself and looked to Alcester in confusion, "Who is she?" he asked as he nodded his head toward her. Draco chuckled as he gently tugged on the sweater, causing her to look over her shoulder at her son. "Don't, he's a friend, and Alcester's lover," he added sheepishly at the end, a faint blush working it's way to his cheeks. He still wasn't accustomed to the concept of two men loving one another, it made him wonder just what he was feeling for Harry.

She slowly lowered her wand and replied, "Narcissa Malfoy nee Black," her tone was cool and clipped, a clear indication that she had snapped into protective mode, one Draco was accustomed to thanks to his aunt being a bit insane. Amar glanced between Draco and the woman before him before smiling, "You are a good mother, quite clearly. I'm Amar, Amar Hashsi," he introduced before bowing slightly at the waist. Alcester coughed into his hand, something that sounded akin to, 'Brown Noser,' but Draco could have been mistaken. Narcissa smiled simply, well accustomed to the charming acts of high society, since Lucius held a number of them in his own arsenal. "I see I lack effectiveness on you, then again you are wed to a Malfoy," mused Amar as he looked at Alcester who was lounging on the pedestal.

His green eyes were glowing as they glided over the lithe form of the Gaunt Lord, Draco honestly thought it was possible to undress an individual with his eyes alone with such a hot gaze. Narcissa and Lucius had been very open about sex, Draco wasn't a stranger to his parents show affection for one another, and had read plenty of books with it mentioned, but he had to admit he had never seen something that intense. Amar looked like a tiger ready to strike while Alcester was merely grinning like a snake.

Alcester lifted a slender arm and beckoned the Indian Potion's Master forward. "We are something very rare, the same magic infused in the Archives," stated Alcester as Amar took his place beside him. Together they looked as beautiful as they had in the painting, only this time Amar wasn't trying to strip the man. Draco tipped his head in confusion and noticed his mother looked just as baffled. Narcissa was well known for her charms work, to learn that there was something beyond her was unsettling.

Narcissa took a step forward after regaining her cool composure and asked, "Why are you here?" the question rang in the room as though it were a bell. Alcester slipped of the pedestal like a cat and replied simply, "To ensure that the line survives, right now it's heirs are in danger." The Malfoy matriarch paused and looked at him, her eyes narrowed as she asked, "Why the plural?" Draco looked at her, he hadn't even picked up on the fact that he had suggested there were multiple heirs. Alcester grinned before responding, "Because there are two of them, now you must hurry I do believe your husband is looking for you."

The room was quiet as Draco watched them slip back into the orb, only this time it was green and red, obviously Amar had joined him once again. He looked over at his mother who was already looking for a way back when Draco called, "Dobby?" he had no idea if the elf could hear him but prayed it would. Dobby popped into existence and asked, "What's master be needing?"

Draco smiled as he looked to his mother and said, "We need to get back to the foyer," as he held out his hand. The House Elf simply grinned and took both their hands before taking them back to the foyer. All Draco could think about was the cottage he had seen through the doorway, it looked very real and he had a feeling if he went looking hard enough he would be able to find it.

~~WL~~

Lucius rounded another corner and found himself back in the foyer, "WHY DOES THIS HOUSE HAVE TO BE A MAZE!" he shouted with irritation as he pulled at his hair. He couldn't lose them, they had been there for him when no one else was. Narcissa had been his anchor, his best friend, his lover and his wife, she would always be the one woman who stole his heart all those years ago. "Please be alright," he whimpered as he heard a crack behind him, he didn't move, Narcissa had elves running frantically looking for her and setting up the house.

His heart was pounding in his ears, as he attempted to think of another place she may have been. Just as he did so a warm hand wrapped around his shoulder, the touch was light and gentle. The Malfoy patriarch jumped slightly before turning rapidly, standing before him, in his sweater was a very dusty Narcissa. Her smile faded as Lucius launched himself at her and brought her into a tight embrace, he nuzzled her neck affectionately before whispering, "Don't ever do that again. I thought you were gone."

Slender arms wrapped around him as well as a smaller pair, he felt Narcissa and Draco's warmth envelope him, making all those cold and crushing thoughts vanish from his mind. Not a word was spoken as the three embraced, they meant the world to him, and he didn't know what he would do if something happened to them.

Albus' threat to kill them was too fresh, he didn't know if he would be the same if the elderly wizard managed such a feat. One thing was certain however, if Albus did manage to harm them, he would kill the Headmaster where he stood, not caring how many years he would be in prison. It would be well worth it after seeing the hell Harry endured and the fact that the man had the gall to harm his family.

 


	13. A Wind from the East

There is a wind from the east, it blows softly in the night and caresses the fauna of the jungle. Upon it rides color, spices, music, laughter and the rhythmic sound of life. As the night fell upon the massive Gaunt estate an enchantment was woven, one which captured the eye of the beholder like no other. It wasn’t as simple as a glamour, in fact, it was as brought the massive complex had been transformed for this one night.

The invitations to the event had been sent to every house and flat, each manor and castle from the greatest reaches of the highlands to the white cliffed shore. They traveled by owl, floo, house elf and even the rare raven, beautiful black lotus flowers with tassels at the base. Severus examined the black flower that had landed on his plate, it was attached to the leg of an all too familiar black owl. “Oris?” he asked as he held out a stop of bacon to the bird, he recognized the owl from his many times visiting Tom. The bird looked at him with large yellow eyes before it returned to preening. Severus heaved a sigh as he gently touched the black flower, as to why Tom would send him a paper flower confused him.

Black eyes widened as he watched the flower glow silver and unfurl, petal by petal came undone, with each motion the thick parchment turned into a square invitation. His mouth hung a gape as he looked at the beautiful work, he would have though it was Narcissa, but knew better from the familiar hum of magic that had surrounded it. Penned across the center of the square were several lines that glistened in the light, he watched in wonder as the lines looked as though they hand written themselves before his eyes. He recognized the sensual script a mile away, “Marvolo Gaunt, Lord of the Honorable House of Gaunt, cordially invites you to attend his Gala this evening. This invitation has been transformed into a port-key and will be activated at 9pm. The flower is your clue to the theme,” he read.

Severus looked at the parchment in awe, he had seen Narcissa’s work but Tom was clearly on another level. His magic was cool to the touch and felt just as dangerous, yet safe and comforting. “A Lotus, only found in the bowels amongst the trash in India, a beauty compared to none in a place shrouded with sewage,” he said slowly. He looked at the owl who was perched on the chair not far from him, he felt as though something was brewing, he had no idea what was in store but he had a feeling whatever was about to happen had all happened before. It was an odd notion, but something in his head said with this story so far not even something as simple as a repeat of events would be unusual.

An unusual feeling of déjà vu twisted the potion master’s stomach, it was strange, even if he couldn’t remember the reason something told him this series of events had occurred. Somehow everything that had transpired did so once before, now if only he could remember why this felt so familiar.

“India, I don’t know the first thing about the nation,” he said slowly. It was true that when he was studying to be a potion’s master he had traveled to India to learn about the many rare ingredients that could be harvested. He knew just enough to get by but nothing on the clothing or world in which they existed. “Which is why I am here,” said a smooth voice, it was as rich as chocolate and just as full. Severus spun around and stared at a young man with dark skin, almond shaped emerald green eyes, and black hair. He was dressed in white and midnight blue, he smiled as he looked at Severus. “Alcester sent me, I’m Amar Hashish,” he said simply.

Severus straightened up immediately and replied automatically, “Severus Snape, it’s an honor to meet you.” Amar smiled warmly, his eyes were the same exotic color as Lily’s and for a moment Severus found himself lost in them. They were crystal clear pools of emerald green, a color which Harry had inherited. It was odd how similar in both shape and shade they were. “Likewise, Tom managed to convince Narcissa that an Indian theme was perfect, it was exotic and the last time it had been done was for Alcester and I,” Amar explained as he rubbed his fingers together after touching what Severus assumed was dusty parchment.

He didn’t know a great deal about the wizarding families of Britain, and even less of India, but he had a feeling that this event was the talk of the world for a while. Most of the time pureblood stuck with those who had strong magic in their lines, not necessarily human, but it was rare for them to marry outside of their own continent, it wasn’t taboo it simply didn’t happen often. He had a feeling that Alcester and Amar were the first pairs to ever attempt such a thing. Yet, there was one thing that didn’t make sense, no matter how he searched, he hadn’t found a drop on the pair. It was as though they had never existed, wiped from records and memories as though they were figments of the imagination.

The potion’s master slowly walked over to the enormous frame and looked up at the man who was now sitting on the floor, he had stolen a pillow from the couch and was perched atop of it. His long tan fingers rested atop his knees as his legs were folded in a perfect lotus. “Why?” asked Severus slowly, “Why are you even aiding me?” Amar hummed as he tipped his head to the side, “Because you are what makes Tom- Marvolo- happy. He hasn’t been happy in a long time, and since both you and the boy make him happy why not? Besides, everyone needs a friend to lean on when the storm is so close to the shore,” he mused.

That immediately got Severus’ attention, he hadn’t been imagining things, there was a storm brewing. He had a feeling Albus would hit the ceiling as soon as he had learned just what they were working to do, but now he had a feeling he had over looked something. “What haven’t you said?” he asked. Amar smirked as he leaned back and admired the potion’s master with a rather lazy emerald gaze. “You certainly are like Alcester, such a Slytherin. Let us get through tonight and then we shall worry about the morning,” he suggested gently, yet his tone left no room for argument.

Severs’ black eyes narrowed dangerously as he hissed, “No, you know far more than you say. Come to think of it, you know more than the average portrait,” he quickly realized that Amar was more than he led himself on to be. Amar chuckled humorlessly as he looked at Severus, “You aren’t ready for what I, or Alcester, are. Have you heard it yet?” he asked. Confusion swept across the Potion Master’s typically expressionless face, “What?” Amar grinned widely as he shook his head, he looked a great deal like Lily when she knew something. The way his eyes glittered and his lips curled with a secretive smile he had learned to loath as she teased him.

 _“Yuvā Sāmpa_ , you have heard them all your life,” Amar replied knowingly, “You cannot run from destiny, she will always find you.” Severus was quiet as he pondered the words, wondering if Amar was speaking of the knight in the castle when he had met the Lady herself. Any powerful wizard should have been able to do so, “Severus, we must get you ready,” said Amar rather tersely, calling the wizard from his internal battle over whether or not he should question the man or allow this to play. Something told him though, he wouldn’t get far with the questions. He would only be met with dancing green eyes and a smirk.

He bowed his head and gave into the portrait knowing that if Tom were present that this would be what he wanted.

~~WL~~

 

Just past the iron gates, now repaired and accented with brass accents, is perhaps one of the most anticipated events of the year. The chance to see the once decrepit House of Gaunt standing in all it’s pride. The announcement of a new Lord Gaunt had sent rippled across the world, unlike many families the Gaunts were renown, with a number of illustrious wizards in their ancestry, for one to appear and claim the fortune was perhaps one of the greatest events to date. Now for the first time in over a half a century the house was to be viewed by those who had only heard rumor of it.

It had been rumored to be the largest Estate in Britain, and perhaps all of Europe. Just up the coral driveway which was lined with well sculpted hedges and roses. Past the sculptures of serpents and lions, a breath beyond the massive marble fountain depicting a serpent coiling around a woman. Tents had been set up, surrounded by exotic billowing silks and linens, the finest that many had ever even had a chance to see. White tents glowing in the blue light of the moon and swayed whenever a gust of wind from the ocean hit them.

 

Standing proudly in the moonlight, with the entire house a light was perhaps the one estate that nearly everyone had forgotten. The once broken and abandoned house of Gaunt now stood proudly, as golden lights illuminated every window, porch, and stairwell. It seemed to glow in the blue light of the full moon, only adding to the mysterious allure of the mansion and it’s owner. Towers rose on all four corners of the house, the front of the house was surrounded by lush gardens, all groomed and manicured. The house it’s self was a testament to the power the family had once possessed, the legacy which had been forgotten.

Cars and carriages waited side by side, as witches and wizards walked toward the front doors from the section of lawn dedicated to Port-key. The three story house dwarfed all others in scale, it’s white walls glowing in the light. The front doors were enormous and covered in grand carvings, they were open in invitation to the guests now wading in. Inviting them into the lavish and exotic world held with-in.

Color filled every corner of the house, gone were the Western lounges and sitting arrangements, the clocks were removed from view, tables, and seating arrangements were sitting closer to the floors and even the lighting had changed.

Thousands of polished brass lanterns with painted glass windows hovered closely to the ceiling as billowing silks cascaded from the top of the ceiling to the polished marble floors, whispering as they brushed against the hard surface. Warm golden light spilled from these small fixtures, lighting every surface dimly, allowing for the truth in the light, and yet mystery to lurk in the shadows of the house. 

Orchids, Lilies, Lotus flowers, spices and sandal wood permeated the air, the mixture of spices The scent of spices and mirth filled the air, orchids, lotus flowers and lilies were abundant as well as the familiar warmth of sandal wood. The floors were polished to the point that it was possible to see the billowing silks hanging above in them upon entry of the foyer.

Laughter reverberated off the walls, floors and ceiling. The sound of drums barreled down the halls as conversation drifted effortlessly. House elves were dressed in exotic robes as men and women in traditional Indian garb entered the building, brilliant blues, red, greens, yellows, pinks, purples, oranges and even the brightest of whites were apparent. It was an explosion of color as women twirled in their sari. Each of them were asked to leave their shoes at the door and wandered through the house barefoot.

The finest rugs had been selected and pared with elegant silk pillows that were enormous in size. Each of them stuffed with the finest herbs and goose down. Wine, tea, bear and even ale were present as the party raged forward, it was the event of the year and the enchantments were never ending. Tom had managed to enchant the walls of a room to look like the jungle, complete with a lurking tiger and elephant. It was possible to see flashes of orange through the leaves as the tiger stalked through the room.

Yet there was one thing missing, the Host. For all the parties grandeur and exotic atmosphere the presence of the host was nowhere to be scene. Hiding out just a breath from the party was Tom Marvolo Riddle draping himself in the finest robes, knowing the Lords of each House would have their crests visible. Red eyes drifted to his reflection of the man in the mirror, he was wrapped in a resilient dark green with silver scroll work sliding down the long billowing robe. His hands peaked out from the large cuffs allowing for only a glimpse of his long fingers and the lordship ring on his finger. He had selected a black vest and opted for a pair of charcoal pants to go with his slippers. His hair was styled so that it spiked in a few places, he had taken to the style since his trip to muggle London with the boys.

Tonight was the night he would remove the stigma of his past and move on. He would be able to start the next chapter and move closer to stopping Albus. The tension he had been feeling for days since he had taken the chance to invite Albus to his home, even though it was partially required of him to invite the meddling headmaster, he still wasn’t thrilled. He didn’t want the elderly wizard anywhere near Harry or Severus, he hated the notion that Severus worked for the man. It irritated him to no end that the Potion Master had run to Albus after losing Lily.

Although, it was Severus who had brought him back, to this day Tom didn’t know how. In fact he couldn’t even remember that night, the night Lily had died for that matter. There was only one thing he knew, and that was that Severus had lost a great deal in the war, far more than anyone ever should. Every time he looked at Severus he could see the impact of the war, the pain, the sorrow and the shattered dreams the man had been left with. All he wanted to do was hold the man and try to take his suffering away, it was an unusual feeling, in the past he had a soft spot for Severus, but this emotion he couldn’t identify confused him to no end.

Logically he recognized this soft spot as the fact that Severus was one of the greatest Potion Masters in History, he would have books and entire wings dedicated to his work. Now things had shifted, things weren’t as clear, everything was hazy. He wanted more than potions, he NEEDED more, but didn’t know what it was. He also felt this odd sensation, all this had happened before or at least that was what he felt. It made little sense, the idea that somehow all of this had happened before, yet he had a feeling to trust his instincts.

“Why are you here in the Boat House when there is a party in the mansion?” asked a soft voice, it was filled with confidence and sounded more like a whisper. Tom shifted to see Harry standing in the doorway, he was dressed in midnight blue and black, his green eyes stood out against his pale skin, the only element out of places was his glasses, his hair looked as though he had dismounted a broom and he stood poised in the doorway. Harry had changed a great deal since they met and something told him that the young boy standing there tonight was very different from the one he had met months ago. He had a long white silver scarf draped over his neck, “Everyone has arrived,” Harry continued as he leaned in the doorway and crossed his arms, a move Tom recognized as his own instantly, “Including Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall. Severus pointed them out to me.” Tom nodded as he adjusted his silver and green tie, his fingers making quick work of slipping the Windsor knot into place.

Tom turned from the mirror and stated, “Of course he had, Albus and Minerva are his co-workers, and your future professors. I may not be a fan of Hogwarts but is still the finest magic school in the world.” Harry nodded, he could tell the young man was nervous and hummed as he strode over to the small raven haired boy. Harry had wormed his way into the Dark Lord’s heart since the moment he had caught a glimpse of him through their unusual connection. A small child locked in a cupboard under the stairs, nursing a large burn on his arm. At that moment he vowed not to harm him, even if he didn’t know who the boy was.

No child deserved to live a life like that, he had been treated poorly as a child and hated that Harry shared that kind of pain. “Why can’t I have tutors?” asked Harry petulantly. Tom snickered as he looked at him, for the past few months Harry and Draco were being tutored by not only himself but Severus in Potions and Defense, Narcissa in healing arts, Herbology and Charms, Lucius in Astronomy and ethics as well as basic legal knowledge.

“School is important, it allows for you to learn who you are and also decide just what kind of wizard you are,” Tom stated before slowly sinking to Harry’s eye level he sat on his haunches and looked into green eyes, “As much as I would love for you to take after me, you have to choose for yourself. You have to decide who you want to be as a person.”

Harry stared at him with glistening eyes, understanding filled them after a moment before he bobbed his head in a nod. Tom smiled warmly as he ruffled Harry’s hair and said lightly, “Good, come now, as you so aptly pointed out we are hosting a party and our absence is rude.” He slipped out of the room only to instruct Nangini to stay out of sight and watch the children. Not everyone knew of his snake, but if he had any chance of getting into Hogwarts as a Professor he would have to hide her from Dumbledore, the elderly wizard certainly knew of her existence.

He swept out of the Boat House with Harry only a few paces behind him, he could feel his heart hammering in his chest as he approach the Balloon resting in the grass, the wind was just right to take him over the house. It was only now he understood the magnitude of his decision, he wasn’t going to be the poor orphan boy anymore, he was about to become one of the wealthiest Lords in the world, with the power to match. He flicked his wrist causing the candles throughout the estate to extinguish themselves, plunging the entire house into the dark. Witches and Wizards rushed out of the house, shouting in shock with wands lit.

Tom looked over at Harry who pulled out a small blue crystal, he held it out in his palm to the elder wizard. He looked at the crystal and smiled, it was the one thing which would distinguish him from the newer lords. According to texts prior to the creation of the Ministry, which had taken over keeping track of magical origins, Lords had crystals, which glowed specific colors, channeling the residual magic of all Lords past. It served as an extra layer of protection in the house and marked the first Families. The brighter the crystal the more powerful the line. Power wasn’t measured by the number of members but the skill and knowledge gained by the members as a whole.

He smiled at Harry as he collected it, he could feel the familiar hum of magic. It was then he wondered how many wizards remembered this tradition. How many even still had their crystals, was really the question. The Dark Lord held it close to his lips and whispered softly to the crystal, resulting in it to glow and even brighter blue, nearly teal in color to the point that he wondered if it was possible to blind himself with his own magic.

It was heavy in his palm as he pulled his arm back and threw it into the night sky. He watched as he soared into position over the house, before shooting up vertically. “Whoa,” whispered Harry in awe, “Why’s it going to high?” he asked in confusion. Like a shooting star, it flew upward until it was hovering 2,000 feet above the house, it glowed brighter than any star he had ever seen, it’s light cast and eerie teal blue light over the outside of the mansion. He had read about them and from what he had seen years ago when the Malfoys released theirs, it hadn’t flown this high. “I have no idea,” he replied in shock before flicking his wrist causing the balloon to slowly descend toward the earth.

The silver basket glittered in the light as the green balloon passed several feet under the crystal over the top of the castle. Lucius voice carried through the still night air with pride as he announced, “It is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to the newest Lord of Wizingmont, Lord Marvolo Gaunt and his protégé, Harry Potter.”

There was a shared gasp as the names were spoken, obviously no one expected the young Potter to be taken in by the enigmatic Lord Gaunt. Those who knew who Tom really was, happened to be more shocked, after all Harry was supposed to be his enemy, and not his protégé. As the ground drew nearer he snapped his fingers causing several acrobats to toss ropes from the four corners and slip down them, acting as sandbags.

Harry smiled, Tom could remember the look on the boy’s face during the practices. Now all he could hope for was the same reaction from his guests. It was so quiet he could hear the whisper of paper in the air, his lips curled as he looked at all the wizards and witches looking through their costumes for the source of the sound.

He looked out of the corner of his eye and watched as Harry pulled out one of the pages. It hovered before the boy once more his script appeared. He had handed it to Harry earlier when he was helping the young wizard with his costume.

_“In loving memory of Lord James Potter and Lady Lily Potter née Evans.”_

The invitation folded its self once more, the motions were delicate as the square folded over several times before the petals peeled away from the base and a familiar lotus took shape. With each fold the paper lost it’s solemn black pigment, only to retain a small trace of it on the edges of the flower’s petals. He gazed over the side lazily and watched as thousands of white flowers took shape, all of them standing out from the darkness, small white lights in memory of those who were lost in a war that could have been stopped.

The balloon jolted a little as it met the ground, the white flowers were still floating before the individuals as he stepped onto the balcony, “Welcome to my home. The flowers before you are in memory of all who were lost in war,” he announced. Slowly the lotus flowers acquired a similar teal blue glow as the crystal above their heads. “We can not move forward without honoring those who laid the foundations in the past,” he said broadly, “I intend to aid in crafting a brighter future, one where war isn’t as eminent as everyone believes.” The flowers only glowed brighter as he spoke and he watched the guests gaze at him with admiration.  

The war was a sensitive topic but in many ways this was his way of apologizing for all the pain and suffering, even if this wasn’t merely enough to repair all the damage he had caused. “To those lost,” he said simply as he flicked his wrist. The white flowers floated further and further above, gradually ascending into the sky. He watched as a sea of lotus floated past him, the delicate paper continued to rise until a breeze captured them. With the aid of the gentle caress of the wind the flowers where whisked off to sea, as though they had been called toward it. Tom held his hand out tenderly as he watched them float past, his red eyes never leaving them as they did so. Proof that even though they had been lost, they hadn’t been forgotten.

Tom snapped his fingers causing all four acrobats to turn into butterflies, earning another gasp. Their silver wings beat delicately in the air as he watched them turn and face the sea, they zipped through the air in a cloud, chasing the trail the Lotus had once traveled. Slowly the white river of Lotus flowers sailed off toward the sea with silver butterflies in tow.

Red eyes drifted over the crowd, it was then he noticed the sadness in the air. No one had expected such a show, yet few seemed to remember that day was the one in which the war began. Witches clung to their husbands as lovers sought the comfort of another. He slowly turned his attention to Harry and noticed how the boy’s gaze hadn’t left the horizon, he may not have known his parents, but he still loved them.

The moment of silence ended abruptly as he looked toward the house and called for the lights to return and the crystal to return to him. This action was accompanied by an applause which could be mistaken for thunder due to intensity. He clapped his hands together, a smirk curling his lips slightly as the entire castle was once more swept into his world. Music thundered from the house as lanterns were lit and food brought out. “Tonight we celebrate, we celebrate the simple fact that we are alive and well! They didn’t die in vain we are all here so let’s enjoy it!” he called as he began walking back toward the house.

He strode with purpose toward the foyer, he had done the sincere portion, now he was going to show them just what he was going to be like. The house vibrated thanks to the charms he had cast over the musicians, he wanted his party to be heard all over the world, and didn’t care that he had just been sentimental, he was alive and that was all that mattered. As he walked by Lucius and Draco fell into the group.

He noticed Lucius was dressed in a beautiful forest green with silver embellishments. Oddly he filled out the outfit well and even made it look natural to a degree. As always he was carrying a cane, but it wasn’t an issue really, the noble was known for it. His pants were black and his shoes were traditional western dress shoes, his long hair was tied behind his head in a neat ribbon and he was beaming with pride. Then again it was an enormous honor to announce the new Lord, it meant Lucius was his trusted friend and ally.

Draco bumped into Harry playfully, he watched in amusement as the pair interacted. It was amazing how close they had become and part of him wondered if their relationship would blossom into something else. He was aware that Narcissa and Lucius were accepting of sexuality and had supported both himself and Severus. Himself when he realized he was bisexual and Severus when he accepted the fact that he was gay. He just didn’t know what Harry would do, however he was going to cross that bridge when they reached it.

The blonde scion was dressed in black and silver with green pants, it was an odd combination and yet the young man pulled it off. Then again, Draco had always been rather easy on the eyes and his personality allowed him to take a number of liberties. He noticed the Malfoy crest on his scarf and smiled as the young man laughed with Harry. It was a welcoming sight to see both boys relaxed and ready to enjoy the evening.

He opened the doors of the house and noticed Narcissa standing in an emerald green, nearly transparent sari. Her long blonde and black hair had been braided nearly with flowers in it. Her silver eyes glistened in the light as she looked at the group. The way the skirt of the sari hung from her hips, it was low and swayed with her every movement. Her bra was the same green but far more noticeable when paired with the translucent green fabric of the wrap. He could hear the ring of bangles as they tapped into one another with every movement. Her arms were covered in henna, the intricate brown designs stood out starkly against her pale complexion, they were small and tight only adding to her air. A silver serpent was wrapped around her left ear and she smiled warmly as she took a step toward Lucius.

He could tell it was taking the man everything he had not to drag his wife into an obscure corner and enjoy himself.

Narcissa sashayed over and kissed Tom on the cheek before whispering, “Beautiful and very touching.” She pulled away leaving the scent of orchids behind. Tom smiled as he watched her wrap an arm around her husband’s. Tom felt a twinge of envy at this, it wasn’t over Narcissa, it was more that when Lucius had been announced he already had Narcissa. Tonight he was about to be prayed on by the entire single population of witches and wizards seeking fame and fortune. On top of the fact that in reality he really wanted to share the night with one man in particular.

He was about to give up his search when he noticed Severus standing behind a curtain, the black had vanished, instead he was dressed in a beautiful forest green. His black hair had been tied back neatly allowing for his face to be clearly visible. His eyes finally looked brown in the light, making him seem far less intimidating. His lean body was shrouded in fine linen and mildly he began to wonder what it would be like to strip it away. “Severus,” he breathed as he looked at the man before him, he still had a hard time believing this man wasn’t a Lord. He had the mannerisms and the air of one. Tom had heard that Severus was related to the Prince family but didn’t know if the potion master had been named heir.

The night moved with ease as he shook hands with a number of individuals everyone of importance from other solicitors and the Minister for Magic to the up and coming minds of curse breaking. There was only one guest he was dreading speaking to, Albus Dumbledore. It wasn’t simply the fact that Albus would be the only one who could possible recognize him for whom he really was, but also the fact that he could try to take Harry away.

~~WL~~

The house was filled with light and color as the party picked up pace. Dancers floated across the floor, their skirts flowing about them as they spun, the roaring applause as acrobats tumbled across the floor and people laughing as they regaled amusing stories with one another. Yet for all the joy that warmed the house, there was still one cold corner, a small place in Harry’s chest.

For the past month he had seen himself as a member of their rather eclectic group, that he considered family. Draco, Narcissa, Lucius, Tom, Severus and even Nangini were part of this unit, they had saved him from all the pain. Tonight he was reminded that he wasn’t a Malfoy, Snape, Riddle or even Gaunt, he was a Potter. His parents were dead, and he had no remaining family, he was an orphan. Tom had told him time and time again he could life with him, yet he wasn’t family, he didn’t have a mother and father like Draco.

Harry flashed a smile as he nodded to a young woman who had said hello in passing. He felt numb as he watched people smile and laugh, those beautiful white paper flowers had floated away making him wonder if that was what his parents had done. Harry felt someone nudge his arm, he jumped reflexively and fond a small pale hand on his arm, Draco. Gray eyes looked at him with concern as he whispered, “You okay?” as always the young blonde scion could see through him. He gently tugged at Harry’s arm and said, “Follow me.”

The young emerald eyed boy merely followed the young Malfoy as they slipped through the house, as they drew further from the party Harry could hear the gentle caress of the waves on the shore just outside the house. The massive glass doors were open and the large white curtains billowed in the wind, the sight was breath taking. Harry stared out at the ocean, the moon was full and he could see stars hanging above in the sky, they looked like small holes in the floor of heaven. The white crests of the tide seemed to glow in the light.

Draco leaned against the doorway and said, “I know Marvolo gave you a blank invite.” His voice was soft, yet it seemed to echo through the hallway, it was barely louder than the waves. The blonde tore his gaze from the ocean and looked at Harry, he could tell this hurt the young man as much as it had him. “He had given me one as well, I don’t think he intended to upset you,” Draco said slowly. Harry hummed, he was well aware of that, he had a feeling it was Tom’s way of allowing him to pay respect to his parents. “I know, it’s just until Sev gave me that album I didn’t even know what my parents looked like. I’ve never even been to their grave,” he said sadly.

Gray eyes widened with alarm as Draco raced over and pulled Harry into a hug, “We’ll fix that, I’m sure if you tell Marvolo and Sev they will take care of it,” Draco whispered. Marvolo, Harry sighed, he had finally gotten the confidence to say Tom’s name only for this to occur. He didn’t fully understand why Tom was hiding, but had a feeling it was important. Harry nodded as he patted the other boy on the back. “How touching,” said a rather deep but raspy voice, it was like sandpaper on Harry’s ears and he swiftly released Draco before pushing the young boy behind himself.

His green eyes narrowed as he searched in the darkness, “Reveal yourself!” he commanded harshly, his tone shifting into one far darker and tinted with authority. “No need to panic,” said the voice once more, it had taken what should have been a lighter note but set Harry’s teeth on edge. He had heard that false tone too many times when Social Workers came around. He noticed a dark figure just a breath away, “Step into the light,” he commanded.

A tall elderly gentleman with crystal blue eyes and a pair of half moon glasses on his nose stepped into the rays of moon light that had spilled through the windows. He had long white hair and a white beard, his eyes twinkled slightly and it was then that Harry noticed the ghastly robes he had selected to wear. The rich plum color coupled with the gold was blinding and garish. “Who are you,” Harry barked, even if the wizard was older than himself he hated to be blind sided.

“Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Supreme Mugwump, Chief Warlock of Wizengmant and Head Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” he replied with ease, a smile curling his lips as he did so. Immediately Harry recognized just whom was standing before him. He remained on guard as he nodded and replied, “A pleasure,” with a smile. Draco tensed behind him and he could tell the young man was suddenly uncomfortable. “You must be Harry Potter, Lord Gaunt’s Protégé,” Albus said with a hint of admiration.

Harry nodded, “Yes, he’s a wonderful teacher. I’m fortunate to have met him,” he replied. It was the truth, he had just left out the part that he had been saved by the wizard. He wasn’t about to admit that he had required saving, he hated the notion that he had. “I was unaware that any Gaunts had survived, the last one on record was Tom Riddle,” he stated, “I didn’t think any of the other Gaunt children had produced children.” Harry was quiet when he noticed movement just behind the wizard, a young man who looked strikingly like Tom was standing there. He held a finger to his lips and shook his head.

Draco stood beside Harry and said simply, “Marvolo is from a line which had run to America when the war came in an attempt to escape the Dark Lord. He was granted sanctuary there, shouldn’t you speak to him about such matters. After all it is his past.” The young blonde stood firmly, he looked very much like his parents at that moment. His gray eyes icy cold and filled with irritation. Clearly he had inherited the Malfoy sneer and talent for making another person feel less than human.

Albus hummed as he took a step closer to the boys, “Of course it is. I’m just wondering how Mr. Potter had managed to become the man’s protégé. Its rather precarious, isn’t it? No one has ever heard of Lord Gaunt and the next thing we know there is a new Lord who clearly has a great deal of power and funds, I’m simply concerned for your welfare,” Albus said softly. Harry watched the older gentleman keenly, he didn’t like this, in fact he hated it. The man before him was far too attentive, and Harry began to wonder just how much this man knew.

Marvolo had hidden his identity for a reason, while Harry may not have known the reason he understood that it was important to protect such secrets. “I’m alright as you can see. I was fortunate to have met him,” he stated. Albus looked perplexed by the response, obviously he was expecting something different. Harry’s eyes swept over the Headmaster, even though warning bells were ringing in his head, he was itching to know why. He may not have been as talented as Marvolo or Severus in Mind Magics, however he had learned the signs of when someone had been lying to him. Years of being the house elf of Number 4 Privet Drive had taught him how to read people.

He glanced over to the painting and noted that there were now two wizards standing in the frame, both of them looking rather concerned. “I thank you for your concern, however as you can see I’m safe and well cared for,” Harry replied graciously, shocking even Draco. His lips curled as he continued, “Why is it any concern of yours? I had no idea that Headmasters were so interested in the lives of potential students.” Albus’ expression soured immediately, his gray eyes held a glint of irritation as Harry held his gaze.

It was then he felt something brush against his mind, it was light like a feather only for more force to be applied. He had never felt such a thing; it was a strange feeling that felt intrusive and probing. Without his consent images began to fly before his eyes and Harry attempted to pull away, he was being dragged into the deepest parts of hell inside his head. He closed his eyes and felt the pain he had been attempting to keep at bay break free, memories of his cupboard, the beatings and his Uncle’s harsh treatment of him echoed in his head.

Distantly he could hear shouting, but was unable to reach it. He was drowning in his own memories, the sorrow and pain of being an unwanted child burned as he was taken even deeper. He could feel the bones breaking, the pain of his Uncle’s belt and the stinging of the burns he had received. He just wanted a family, he wanted to be loved, held and protected. Try as he might, he couldn’t reach out and touch the real world. He knew Draco was with him and yet he couldn’t feel the other boy. Instead he felt something else, someone dragging him down by the ankle as they ransacked his memories. All he wanted to do was forget.

He wanted to forget the time his Uncle had nearly killed him by throwing him out in the snow, or when Petunia had locked him away and refused to let him eat, even the time Dudely and his friends had beaten him to a pulp and left him for dead in the woods. He had known the cold and harsh reality of the world long before the Malfoys, Marvolo and Severus had offered him a modicum of happiness.

There was a louder shout and suddenly Harry was pulled to the surface by a pair of strong arms. There was even more yelling and he felt warmth seep into his cold limbs, chasing away the frightful memories of his past. The smell of lilies and sandal wood filled his nose and it was then he realized he was being held protectively to someone’s chest. “How dare you, he’s a child!” seethed a familiar voice, one which meant love and safety. Green eyes flicked open to see Marvolo clutching him, they were on the floor and for a moment the young Lord looked truly angry.

Albus looked down at the pair, his gaze was harsh and calculating, “You are accusing me of violating a child’s mind, Lord Gaunt. That is a steep accusation,” Albus stated darkly. Harry had only seen Vernon look so menacing when he was truly angry. “Then what were you doing to Mr. Potter?” asked another voice, Lucius clearly had come to aid them. Harry looked over to see Draco smiling smugly as Albus drew back from Lucius who was grinning with glee. It wasn’t a secret that the pair despised one another, but Harry had no idea that Lucius took joy in tormenting the older wizard.

“Lucius, wonderful to see you,” said Albus in a tone that many would consider cordial but Harry knew from experience to be threatening. Lucius gently tucked Draco behind him and stood tall, his fingers were wrapped around his cane and he noticed how he had lost his once pleasant demeanor and was on the defense.  “Headmaster, as much as I would like to discuss the ramifications of using Legilmency on a minor and the potential damage that could be caused by doing so, I must remind you this is a party and you have stolen it’s host,” Lucius said simply, feigning indifference.

Lucius wasn’t the type to show his emotions freely, even though he was open around Draco and Harry in privet, in public he portrayed the perfect guarded Lord, ruthless, unemotional and cool. “I was simply curious as to how far his talents went,” Dumbledore remarked. Marvolo tightened his grip on Harry, causing the boy to turn his attention to the man holding him once more. His red eyes were narrowed dangerously, his lips were pressed into a hard line and his aura seemed to flare violently.

“Perhaps you should have simply asked his ability to use magic,” Marvolo hissed. Albus paused, Harry could hear people drawing closer to them, wondering just where the Host had vanished to. “Perhaps you should leave,” advised the familiar drawl of Severus. The dour potion master was standing behind Albus and had the elderly woman he learned to be Minerva in tow. She looked rather confused by the situation before them, “Albus?” she asked curiously.

The Headmaster smiled stiffly and said simply, “We were just about to leave, I hope Harry is feeling better Lord Gaunt, he was looking a little ill.” Marvolo nodded and smiled superficially, “Thank you Albus, for attending this evening and ensuring Harry was safe,” he said firmly. Albus turned swiftly and began to leave, Harry stared in confusion, he had expected Tom to hex the man. Yet he was allowing Albus to simply walk out.

Severus waited for the pair to be out of sight before kneeling beside Tom and Harry. “Are you okay?” asked Severus quickly as he placed a hand on the young man’s forehead. Harry nodded, “It felt strange,” he mumbled. Severus acquired a sympathetic expression, he could remember all those hours he had spent learning Occlumency from Albus and was well aware of the pain associated with it, both the physical and mental. “Harry, look at me,” Severus said softly as he placed a hand on the young wizard’s shoulder, “You are not there anymore, you are with us. You have a home now, where we all want you.” It was strange to hear those words after being dragged through the horror show known as his childhood.

He nodded and held back his tears which were threatening to fall. “Come on, I know the perfect thing to fix this,” said Tom softly as he kissed the boy’s head tenderly. Harry hummed and clung to the elder wizard as he felt Tom shift, “Let’s go to the kitchen and get some chocolate,” he said softly as he looked to Draco, “Why don’t you join us?”

The young blonde looked to Lucius who simply nodded and decided to follow the pair. Yet, Harry could feel their eyes and had a feeling that they hadn’t been telling him everything. He hated being left in the dark and from the way Albus was acting he was genuinely shocked to see him there with Tom. Yet all he could do was cling to Tom and sit on a stood across from him.

 


	14. Twilight

As the night gave way to morning, the number of guests dwindled. The party itself had been wildly successful. Everyone in the Wizarding world was gossiping about the fact that this young and enigmatic lord had just managed to display tradition and then displaced it with a gala that asked people to question just what magic was about. All night witches and wizards waited for their chance to converse with Marvolo, each of them fidgeting nervously before him as though somehow this young man could appraise their lives with a single glance. His ruby red eyes, the color of the finest cabernet, had a certain power over an individual. It was haunting how simply making eye contact could cause a chill to travel down the spine of even the boldest of men.

Despite all of the warmth in the elaborate estate and the grandeur of the party, it was all truly an illusion. Few people had learned of the egregious event that had occurred in one of the corridors of the estates, those who had overheard were obliviated for fear that somehow they would tell another soul. Not a soul knew what lurked behind the eerie orbs belonging to the young Lord. Behind the charming smiles and the debonair gestures was a man who was no doubt on the track to become more powerful than anyone else. A determined and infuriated Dark Lord, whom until that evening had nearly forgotten just who he was.

While the young Potter had managed to worm his way into the Dark Lord's nearly frozen heart, it didn't change the fact that he had a goal. He desired nothing more than to protect the wizarding world from damaging exposure and free it of the ever constant haze of monochromatic thinking. The world wasn't black and it certainly wasn't white, it was all shades of gray, and he knew that better than anyone. Marvolo smiled as the final guests left the premises, leaving himself with Harry, as well as the Malfoys and Severus. He stood in the middle of the foyer and with the snap of his fingers the massive mahogany front doors closed. He listened to the bolts drop in place before calling back the crystal.

The stone flew into his waiting palm. It was cool, despite the power it radiated. Red eyes locked with the teal object in his hand, the symbol of his power and wealth, "I will make this right," he whispered darkly. Tom quickly summoned an elf and handed over the crystal. He had become so focused on protecting Harry that he forgot just what he wanted. He wanted power, he craved control, and he desired nothing short of forging a new world. A world where children would never face pain and where their way of life would change. He didn't agree with the lack of knowledge of traditions and, even more to the fact, that people were now forgetting how important schooling was. Rather than thinking, they were allowing one man to manipulate them.

Images of Harry on the floor in his arms, drained from attempting to pull away from Albus' iron grip on the young wizard's mind, flicked in his head. He knew Harry had been in pain. He could still feel small hands twisting into his robes and the young boy's trembling form. It was wrong for Harry to be involved in this. It had been wrong for the boy to lose everything simply because he and Albus couldn't agree. It was time to make everything right.

Tom slipped around the corner, his lush black velvet robe billowed behind him. Narcissa had put the boys to bed after Severus had checked them over. With every step the Dark Lord took the illusion was shattered, it was as though a massive mirror had fallen to the floor, sending shards about him, while he himself was left unscathed. Anger radiated from him in waves as he headed down yet another corridor. He had had enough.

After several more steps he was standing before the doors of the dining room; with ease he opened them simultaneously, causing everyone on the other side to pause for a moment. The room's stillness didn't grate on his nerves, in fact, it spoke many volumes on just what had transpired that evening. Sitting at the massive mahogany table were several individuals including Lucius, Narcissa, Severus, Barty, the Carrow Twins, Yaxley, and, oddly, Antonin Dolohov. He had had no idea the man was still alive but had a feeling that he wouldn't be present if he hadn't known something of value. Each and every one of them rose and greeted him, causing Tom to shiver. It had been years since he felt that kind of power. He knew he always bewitched individuals with his charm and cultured tone; however, this was different. This was an honest display of respect.

Without hesitation, he glided forward, his yew and phoenix feather wand between his fingers as he did so. His eyes were locked on one particular place; the one place that he had craved since he was a child. The ultimate symbol of power; the seat at the Head of the Table. As he walked past each individual bowed and greeted him; "My Lord," each and every one of them whispered. Tom didn't desire ultimate control, yet they seemed to give him power over their lives that no one else ever had.

The velvet robe whispered as he walked around the table and looked at the high back chair resting in the end. It was covered in ornate scrollwork; it was truly fit for a lord. Tom curled his fingers around the top of the chair and looked at the collective; he could feel their curious gaze on him. It was as though they had expected him once more to assume the position as their Lord and command them. A smile curled his lips, "I see we are all here, at least those of us who are aware of just what has occurred in the past month." he stated.

Crimson eyes glided over the collection of individuals who at one time he had viewed as followers, now they seemed to be his only allies. There were more of them than he had expected, especially since Barty Crouch Jr. was sitting at the table. He half expected the young man to run. "Before we begin, I must tell you, that this will not end until the world sees Albus Dumbledore for who he is. If that means death, then so be it," he stated bluntly. He would prefer it to be Albus'; however, he knew the old codger wasn't that easy to kill. There was a reason he had been around for so long. Not a single person moved, they all watched Tom raptly, it was clear that despite the dangerous instability they had met in the past, each person at that table was willing to assist him in reaching his goals.

The corners of the Dark Lord's lips curled as he took a seat at the head of the table, his yew wand between his fingertips as he twirled it. "Things will be different this time, and this is to be handled with the utmost discretion. For those of you who are here... you are my trusted allies, those I know on whom I may rely," he announced. "Lucius, Severus, Narcissa - you three are to be my council. I will rely on you three to tell me what is happening and assist in making decisions."

The three stared at him for a moment. It was easy to ascertain how surprised they were, it was written on their faces after all. "Yes, my lord." replied the three simultaneously with a slight bow. Tom pursed his lips, he was going to talk to them in private later and request that such address change. "Crouch, aid Lucius in all he needs, you are one of the few people we have in the ministry. If Lucius is to be caught I need you to get him out, Draco is enrolled in Hogwarts and I fear what the Headmaster will do to the boy." Tom commanded. Large brown eyes blinked owlishly, it was true that prior to this he would have never given such a command, but he also had a feeling that whatever treatment Draco received Harry would also feel the effects of. "Yes, sir," said Barty as he looked over at Lucius. He ran a hand through his messy hair before leaning back and drawing a deep breath.

This posture was one of the man's signs that something had occurred that had been unsaid that was important, and perhaps even life threatening. "Barty?" asked Tom curiously. The young wizard rubbed the back of his neck and responded, "There has been an issue already sir." Out of the corner of his eye Tom watched Lucius stiffen and shoot Barty a scathing glare. There was a pause and just before Tom was about to goad Barty to continue the wizard stated, "Lucius' life and his family's have been threatened by Albus."

Silence fell over the room, it smothered it like a blanket as the pieces in Tom's mind fell into place. Dumbledore was ahead of him, and now he understood the bizarre behavior of Lucius as of late. Narcissa's hand was on the man's shoulder, he watched her give it a squeeze as a mild look of fear swept across her features. Tom hissed with displeasure, "Why didn't you inform me?" his tone was cold and his irritation shone clearly as his red eyes glowed like an inferno.

Lucius slowly raised his gaze from the table as he slipped a hand over his wife's, "You had enough to worry about with the gala; I didn't want to concern you." he said slowly, "I didn't think he would try to harm Harry at the party." This changed things, Albus was going to harm Lucius and his entire family, yet the motive was unclear. "Lucius, why?" he asked, his question hung in the air above their heads for a moment.

The blonde's molten silver eyes met crimson as he replied simply, "I was looking into the location of the School Charter, only to learn it was missing." his reply was lacking the information as to just whom had suggested such a thing, yet Tom had a feeling he would learn the tipper later. Now he had to shift plans, the issue was Draco had been accepted to Hogwarts and there was no question as to if Harry would be, he was a Potter after all.

There was only one person who could protect the boys, and while Draco would certainly get into Slytherin, he wasn't sure if Harry would. The boy displayed some of the traits but Potters were always Gryffindors, it didn't matter the era, they always were. If he was sorted into the house of the lion, there was no way he could protect them, Severus was the head of Slytherin and it was unusual for a snake to associate with a lion. His eyes swept over the Carrows, he didn't want them to be in the school, even if they were superior at dark magic and spell creation as well as ward breaking he had another task for them. He needed them to look into just who was in the Order and watch them, Severus may have been trusted but Dumbledore wasn't a fool, he had been at the party and knew there was something different.

While Yaxley was excellent at organization, the man already worked as a Ministry Official in the Department of the Unspeakables, he need to keep Yaxley where he was if he was ever to defeat Albus. Dolohov, he was young and charismatic but not studious enough to pass for a professor, and since the position of janitor was filled by Filch, he would have to find something else for him to do. Tom had planned to be a Ministry Liaison on the Board of Governors with Lucius, however now it seemed he had a new role.

The Dark Lord drew a deep breath, he and Severus had discussed this decision a few weeks before, but he had no idea that he would end up deciding to take the position. The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was retiring, and the subject was his specialty. If he could get into the school he would be able to hide in plain sight from the Headmaster and protect Harry. Tom crossed his arms and thought for a moment, it would give him the grounds to adopt Harry. He had just launched himself into society and with his grand show had proven himself to be a very powerful wizard.

"There is also the issue of Albus desiring to find you." Severus interjected, rattling the man from his thoughts, "He has targeted Harry to learn more about you, and he hasn't pieced together that you are actually the man he desires to kill." There was logic in this and he could hear the unspoken words the Potion Master had left out, he could harm Harry in an attempt to get the information out of him.

Tom sat up in his seat and replied, "I have decided to apply for the now open position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. It will allow me to protect the boys with the aid of Severus, learn what he is doing, how to counter, and stay safe in plain sight." Lucius looked as though he were about to object when the black eyes of the potion master sparkled, "That could actually work. Lucius is on the Board of Governors so, technically, he can appear at the school as well." he said slowly.

The blonde patriarch still looked stiff, he could tell the aristocrat wasn't enthusiastic about this idea but they had little choice. "Dolohov, I need you to see where the others are. I don't trust Lestrange or the wolf." Tom said quickly. He had nearly forgotten about them until he glanced over to see the tendrils of Narcissa's black hair, the only evidence that she was a Black.

Dolohov nodded and Tom said quickly, "Everyone except the Malfoys and Severus leave. I need you to start working on your projects immediately." It was true, he did need results. The sooner the better, however, there was also the fact that the three weren't saying something and he needed to know just what they hadn't told him. The doors closed with a hint of finality leaving the four in the room. Immediately Tom relaxed and leaned back in his seat, the exhaustion from the weeks worth of planning and the evening from hell had worn on him. Albus had managed to skew his evening and now things seemed to be getting progressively worse.

Slender shoulders heaved a sigh, "Okay, what don't I know?" he asked after a moment. He had lost all desire to flaunt his florid vocabulary, he was too tired. Severus looked to Lucius who looked at him with a hint of ire, obviously it started with Lucius. It really wasn't a surprise since Albus had recently threatened the man's life, but it did make the Dark Lord wonder just what he had started to investigate that Albus hadn't liked. He had a feeling he wouldn't like it either, to be honest. The only reason he was interested was the fact that Albus had found the topic worthy enough of a death threat.

It wasn't the first time that one of his followers had been threatened, but it certainly was one of the few times the elderly wizard had threatened to kill their family too. "The day I went to the office and everyone was scrambling to find Harry Potter, I was visited by Salazar Slytherin," he began hesitantly, his voice was soft as though he himself was still unsure if the exchange had occurred, "he had suggested that I look into the Charter because the Headmaster had been abusing his power. The Board of Governors had been stripped of it's power and rights, a direct violation of the original Charter."

Tom sat up in his seat, this was a legal way to remove the headmaster, it hadn't occurred to him to look for a law based solution. He had always thought Albus was one for the law, only to now realize he should have had Lucius look into it sooner, he was a solicitor after all. "There is also the fact that each of the founding families must have an heir present as well as the Peverell family," Lucius explained. Immediately Tom's eyes snapped to the molten silver's of the Malfoy Patriarch.

"Are you certain he said Peverell?" asked Tom sternly. Lucius nodded dumbly, an expression of confusion appeared on his face as he began to formulate a question. "That makes this difficult, since that family has been lost." Tom said slowly. He had been searching for them, yet nothing. He couldn't turn up a single thing except a famous children's story. Lucius hummed, "Not necessarily, he said 'Nothing is ever lost, especially blood.'" Tom rubbed his temples, riddles, of course they were only giving them riddles. It was never simple when it came to old magic and even more elaborate when it came to something as complex as Hogwarts.

The Dark Lord leaned on the table, his eyes fell on the grain of the wood as he began to mull over his plans. If he could get into Hogwarts he could protect Harry and stop Albus from harming anymore innocents. It shouldn't be hard since he was now the most enigmatic Lord of the age with a family filled with knowledge. "I had checked the Archives, and the Archivist stated it had been removed by Albus once he acquired the office; she doesn't know where it is currently." Lucius added after a moment.

In that moment Tom had never felt so hopeless. Of course, the one thing they needed had been snatched by Albus and hidden. If they could find the original copy, then they could end it.

Severus was the next to speak, "Salazar had spoken to me a few hours after Lucius had finished with the Archivist, since he had crashed into the floor of Hogwarts. I still have no clue how that occurred." he paused and smiled as the blonde aristocrat glared at him with a hint of fake malice, "He had stated that the Sorting Hat had been denied its right to select the headmaster since Dippet. There is also the fact that the potion you asked me to brew requires a journal from Salazar's study which is also lost."

Tom smirked, the study wasn't lost, at least he didn't think it was. He had managed to find the Chamber of Secrets and had a feeling the study was part of it, only he could never locate it within the Chamber. It at least narrowed down his search. It was a surprise in reality to hear all of this. He had only been made aware of a few issues because he had been so focused on protecting Harry and destroying the Dursleys that he had neglected to listen for what else was going on.

It wasn't until he remembered the Dursleys that he remembered the physician shouting about a glamour he didn't even know was on the boy. He hummed, he was going to keep that to himself, he had a feeling the paternity potion would amend that. "There is one more thing." said a soft voice beside him. Tom looked over to see Narcissa wringing her hands nervously, it was odd to see the typically powerful and stoic woman displaying nervousness.

She was the epitome of etiquette and yet she seemed to helpless. "Draco and I discovered a room, where we met Amar Hashish and one of your ancestors, an Alcestor Gaunt. They aren't typical however and Alcestor was an Archivist." she said slowly. Lucius was hit with a bolt of recognition as he sat at attention, "Archivist, he's an archivist?" he asked rapidly, his eyes locked on Narcissa's face as he asked. "Yes, why?" she replied,.Tom disliked it when people answered questions with other questions.

Crimson red eyes danced with intrigue as he looked at the pair. "Archivist?" he inquired as he steepled his fingers under his chin, his elbows resting on the armrests as he did so. He had heard the term before in his advanced readings, but didn't know he was a descendent of an archivist or what one did for that matter.

Lucius turned his gaze to Tom, and he could see the concern in the man's eyes. "The Archivist is the one who knows all, they have the ability to access material pertaining to every part of history. Their job is to ensure that there is order to the chaos and provide aid to judges." he explained. "They are the masters of references, they can find anything as long as it's within those walls."

She sounded like the ultimate resource, it would explain his natural affinity for books and documents as well as the ability to locate rare articles on magic. "I'm a descendant of one?" he asked hesitantly, his eyes widened. Narcissa nodded, only for Lucius to add, "They are ranked in the same niche as an unspeakable." Tom paused, he had always wanted to know just what the Unspeakables did, however, he never thought that one of his family members could have been one. Most families with a single Unspeakable became guardians and were trained to become an Unspeakable at an early age. "What does Amar Hashish have to do with it?" asked Severus keenly.

Naturally the Potion Master had picked up on the name of another master, "He was in the room," replied Narcissa, "with Alcester Gaunt. Apparently they were a couple. I'm not entirely certain what they were, they were a piece of magic I had never seen," she mused. Tom watched the lady intently, while her eyes fell on Severus. Naturally, they were both aware that the Potion Master could probably lecture on the wizard in question, but what they desired to learn wasn't something from a potion's text. "They were corporal, yet they had both been dead." she elaborated hesitantly.

Death had always been a fear of Tom's, yet oddly it didn't plague him as much as it had previously. In fact, it was as though something soothing had settled over him upon Harry's arrival. Now, all that mattered was ensuring his life lasted long enough to protect Harry and right the wrongs. "They were ice cold?" asked Lucius after a moment, his eyes narrowed. She hummed and replied, "I'm unsure, I didn't touch them."

The Dark Lord looked at the pair, "Whatever they are, something tells me that the Archivist is made of the same magic as those two." he mused. It was the only way to explain it. It wasn't as far fetched as it may have sounded, after all Alcestor and the current Archivist were made of the same magic, the only question was how Amar factored into it.

"Curious," Severus mused, "Amar Hashish was a master potion maker, one of the greatest in fact. He created revolutionary healing potions such as skelegrow, blood replenisher, muscular reconstructive, and a variety of others, yet there was one more." Severus' black eyes closed for a moment, it was as though he were searching his memory for it. Tom bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself in check, it was taking everything he had not to skim the Potion Master's memory.

~~WL~~

Amar Hashish was one of the few Masters who wasn't given enough credit. A master in healing potions, and one of the first to fuse muggle theory with wizard medicine. He was an indispensable resource when it came to how the body worked. Yet, for all the information in Severus' head from his hours of reading, he couldn't remember his finest achievement. The one thing which had set him apart; he remembered coming across it when he was a child. It was in a tome he had found in his mother's books, after her death he took to them. It was only in an old tome; one bound in leather, human leather. It was the rarest and most expensive work in his collection.

He could remember the feeling of it against his fingers; he had learned it was bound in human skin years later. It wasn't uncommon for works to be bound using human skin as binding, it was normally taken from corpses of runaways and street vagrants, those who wouldn't be missed. After the 19th century it was considered illegal to bind anything with human skin. There was something about the book, the very way it felt in his hands, the hum of it's magic, wasn't normal. He could still see the name signed in the cover, Amar Hashish in bright red ink. It looked as though it had been penned only moments ago, yet it was over 400 years old.

The binding had been stitched with bright red thread, it was so fine it looked as though it had belonged to a spider. That was when his eyes slipped open, thread, the very same he had used to repair Tom's soul. The forbidden technique was Amar's greatest contribution, only now did he realize just how dark the magic was in that book his mother owned. He couldn't tell him, he couldn't tell Tom what he had done.

Severus felt as though he were trapped, "I can't remember, I'll have to look in my library," he said after a moment, he was careful to keep his expression blank. He had to find a way to tell Tom without the others knowing. That night he had sacrificed himself, in return for saving the man, yet he couldn't remember why. Tom's expression fell in that moment, he hated not telling him, but there were few moments he could. To admit that after having managed to repair his soul that he had somehow missed a piece of it wasn't how he wanted to start a conversation.

Severus watched Narcissa numbly as she asked, "What will we do?" That question seemed to be the one ringing in everyone's ears. He had no idea. "It's simple, I will fill the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor; Lucius will push the Ministry to take more interest in the school; Narcissa, I have a feeling that you are going to get more calls thanks to my event. Take them, we need to look open and since you are one of the top interior designers in the world, both wizard and muggle, I can only imagine the possibilities for you." he explained.

Severus stared at Tom, "You're going to be the key, London isn't easily swayed without our neighbors. I heard the Ministers of Germany, France and Italy conversing, they would be more than happy to work with you." he stated. Severus chuckled as a look of glee swept across Narcissa's features and she clapped her hands together, a grin threatening to split her face in two. She couldn't maintain the aloof mask of a Malfoy after hearing such news. She was, after all, about to be contracted all over the world. "With that being said... Be careful, I don't know how far Dumbledore's reach is, or if other nations will side with us. Don't jeopardize your work though, only if they are interested in what is happening here." Tom advised.

While the idea was genuinely Slytherin, the fact that he was concerned for her career was certainly new. Tom had changed greatly with Harry around, yet at the same time he seemed to harbor the same old animosity toward Albus. It didn't help that the elderly wizard had decided to manipulate everyone. He even took advantage of a child, and he was still interested in learning just what the man had done to Harry's accounts. He had a sinking feeling he had been embezzling funds from the Potters. Tom's eyes flickered over to the windows and Severus followed his gaze, it was twilight.

The Dark Lord rose from his seat and stood before the windows, his hands were in his pockets and his robe swept around him. "It appears I have to make an appointment with the Headmaster." Tom said slowly. Severus smirked, he had a better idea, one with a little more finesse and the kind of elegance that was befitting of the young noble. "Actually, you don't have to. In fact, you can just walk onto the campus. All you have to do is state that you would like to send Harry to that particular school." he stated.

Tom looked over his shoulder at Severus' his dark brows were lifted as the Potion Master smirked, "Come on, who would deny you? You are after all the hottest Lord not to mention a single one." he stated. Tom's lips parted as a faint blush touched his cheeks, clearly he hadn't thought to do such a thing. While Severus liked the fact that Tom was attractive and rather elegant, he couldn't help but think about what he was about to suggest. Tom was currently the most eligible lord, and he was certain if the families had learned that he was looking for a position at Hogwarts that everyone would be behind him. He had more than proven himself with the party.

Narcissa was smirking as she nudged her husband, "Imagine the noise the press would make if they learned the enigmatic lord wanted to teach." she remarked. Lucius smirked, "Yes, and think of all the madness that will occur as soon as the world realizes Tom's skills." He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, "Who knows where this story will come from." Severus could only imagine the chaos of having the man step onto campus and challenge them, it was surely going to be something to put the world on it's head.

Tom drew a deep breath and asked, "Lucius, are you suggesting that we allow it to slip to the press that I'm thinking of taking the defense post?" The blonde patriarch shook his head and held his finger up to call for pause, "No, I'm saying we announce your interest and then when you have the post. Being a professor is prestigious; why not embrace it? You will be one of the only lords to teach, besides Severus who never mentioned his lineage." Lucius stated simply.

The idea did have merit and Severus could imagine the influx of students rushing to enter his class, "Well then, that's settled." Narcissa said with a hint of finality, "I'm off to get out of this sari." Lucius hummed as she slipped her hand over his shoulder and left. Severus mentally chuckled as the aristocrat remained seated. He could hear the soft and lush chuckle of the Dark Lord and looked over to see a pair of very amused ruby red eyes.

"Lucius?"

"Hm?"

"You do realize what she just said right?"

The blonde stared at them as though they were daft before jumping from his seat and looking at the door, "My Lord, I have some late business to which I must attend." he said rapidly before leaving the room, chasing after his wife. Some things never changed.

Severus shook his head as he looked over at Tom. The man was leaning against the window, his arm rested above his head as his legs crossed at the ankles. His head rested on his forearm and his left hand was slipped into his trouser pocket. His figure was outlined by the fresh flames of the morning sun. His powerful features were highlighted by the light; he didn't look like Tom in that moment. He looked like the elegant and powerful lord he was. His chocolate brown hair gained a golden hue, as his pale skin glowed in the light.

Severus slowly walked over to the man, he ached to touch him, he was dying to feel his skin, yet knew to keep his distance. "Severus, thank you for tonight. Without you, I'm sure I would have lost my temper." Tom said hesitantly. His voice carried through the empty room with every hint of sincerity the man had meant. The dour potion master paused and looked at Tom's back. "Sev, I need to know I can trust you to look after Harry if anything were to happen to me. Keep him safe, and Draco as well." he added softly. Severus shivered, this wasn't what he wanted to hear. He was listening to the man he had fallen for ask for him to keep the boys safe in case of his death.

It hurt, Severus hurt as he listened to Tom's concerns. He wouldn't allow Tom to leave him - not after giving up so much to save him the first time. "Yes, but Tom, I would never allow you to go." he said slowly. Severus took another step forward before placing a hand on his shoulder. Tom looked over at him and smiled lazily, "Careful, you're about to jump into deep waters." the Dark Lord mused.

A dark chuckle left Severus as he looked into a pair of glimmering crimson eyes, they looked as though they were gems in the light, "Didn't you know? I already have, now you're just threatening to drown me." he replied. His voice was huskier than he had intended, but he couldn't help it. The man before him lusted for power, and had managed to grasp it. He was insatiable and yet, yet there he was before the sun just as hot and powerful, with the ability to plunge the world into darkness with the snap of his fingers.

Tom's lips twisted into a smirk as his hand slipped out of his pocket and slid up the potion master's arm, sending shivers of excitement in it's wake. His long, talented fingers slipped up Severus' neck, threading through his hair. It was a gentle and yet aggressive the way the Dark Lord moved. Tom was truly a snake, beautiful, dangerous, cunning, and, most importantly, devious. With little warning Tom pulled Severus' head toward him and pressed his lips against the man's. Severus froze, that wasn't what he expected, he hadn't anticipated someone returning his affection. The Dark Lord's tongue slipped between Severus' lips, causing the darker man to moan at the intrusion. Apparently, the man who could speak to snakes was just as talented with his tongue as any serpent.

Severus felt as though his nerves were on fire. His fingers found themselves gripping Tom's robe with need, as he moaned. He needed this man, he had to have him, he was starving for affection. Tom's tongue danced with his skillfully; they caressed one another as they searched each other's mouths, mapping out each and every inch of it. Tom pulled away slowly, a devilish smirk on his lips, "You taste nice." he mused.

Severus was panting, he hadn't expected that. Tom's cheeks were a faint pink and he had a feeling that Tom hadn't really planned such a moment either. It was instinct, the only thing he wasn't sure of was if it was truly his emotions or the powerful and ancient magic he had used to repair Tom's soul. A wave of guilt washed over him as he slowly pulled away, causing Tom's once joyed expression to turn to one of sadness.

This was how it had to be, "I am going to bed." he said, "I have to leave for Hogwarts in a month, why don't you join me." Tom nodded as he watched the man leave, Severus didn't have the heart to look back. It hurt, but there had to be separation, he couldn't risk Tom's life, he had no idea what the ancient magic's side effects were and didn't want to inadvertently kill the man he had saved.

~~WL~~

Dawn was approaching and as the sun breached the skyline Harry's green eyes slowly left the windows. He couldn't shake the feeling of having someone in his head, he felt violated. A shiver swept through him as he burrowed even further into the lush comforter of the bed. Tom had saved him, but the question was what would happen when they grew tired of him. He didn't want to be thrown away. Of course, everyone said it was irrational, and to a certain degree Harry agreed with them, yet, he couldn't shake it.

Albus was right about only one thing, the circumstances were odd - after all, he didn't even truly know Tom. He knew that the man could talk to snakes, that he was powerful, liked jokes, was very good at defensive magic and mind magic, he liked the color green, had a thing for lilies and sandalwood, spoke several languages, was hardly awake in the morning, danced like a professional, and sometimes felt weak when he used too much magic. However, that wasn't what he wanted, he wanted to know who Tom really was.

The way the Headmaster had acted, it was as though Tom done something so terrible that, in no way shape or form, it make any sense for Harry to be with him. The young scion shook his head, he loved Tom, he loved everyone. They were the ones who made him feel safe, but there was this feeling that something terrible was about to begin.

"I can hear you thinking." remarked a familiar voice, it was light and teasing as a body a similar size to his own tackled him and enveloped him in a hug, Draco. Harry could feel the young blonde's body heat seeping through the blanket and looked up into silver pools, "What's wrong? Still feeling weak after last night?" asked Draco with concern. Harry smiled, Draco seemed to act as though he were Harry's protector, it was as though the other boy wanted to keep Harry safe from the evils of the world.

It hadn't helped how he had met Draco; he still couldn't remember that night clearly. It must have been a sight, his uncle had really hurt him and he had a feeling the blonde was too stubborn to leave the adults to tend to him. "A little," replied Harry weakly, he didn't know how to tell the other boy he was questioning just what he was involved in. Tom had been nice, but the way he acted before Albus scared him.

He had never seen the older wizard that angry before. It wasn't that he was scared of Tom, it was what he didn't know that would cause Tom to get so angry that scared him. "Draco, who am I to the wizarding world?" asked Harry tentatively. He had a feeling that whatever Albus was alluding to had to do with him. There was no other explanation, these past events had everything to do with just what was so odd. He felt the blonde stiffen, before the weight that had once been across him was gone, Harry slowly uncurled and sat up on the bed.

Sitting at the end, watching him nervously was the young Malfoy scion. His fingers were twisting over themselves - something he had never seen the boy do. "Harry, that's…" Draco drew a deep breath, "it's difficult. I really think you should ask Tom." Harry shook his head, he didn't want to upset the older man, he had done enough of that. He had doubted Tom enough, "Please, Draco, I need to know." Harry begged.

The blonde haired boy folded his legs under him, "Alright, just keep an open mind." he warned as he scratched the back of his head. It was as though he were searching for a place in his memory, a bookmark of sorts that would allow him to begin just where he needed. "Ten years ago, there was a great war, one between two sides: the Light and the Dark," Draco began as he crossed his legs and gripped his shins after doing so. "The Dark simply wanted to preserve our ways and heritage and asked that muggle borns try not demolish wizarding traditions, they sought to find a peaceful equilibrium, one where neither side would be jeopardized. No one wanted a repeat of Salem."

"However, the Light had other ideas. Albus had always been envious of Tom's skill and desired for the muggle borns to change our world - that way he could remain in power. On more than one occasion he had called for an open policy with the muggles. It ended with the muggles threatening to kill us." Draco said softly, "And then it was whispered, a prophecy of one who could defeat the Dark Lord and act as the savior to the wizarding world. Naturally when this was made public people leapt at the opportunity to destroy the Dark, even if they didn't understand it."

Harry stared in shock, no one would even give the Dark a chance to speak, and to actually believe that magic and muggle worlds could live in harmony seemed impossible. People were greedy, and while wizards were as well, there were limits, he didn't like the idea of being abused or taken advantage of over what he could do. "Ten years ago, in a small cottage in Godric's Hollow a horrible tragedy occurred. The Dark Lord visited the Potters in hopes he could kill the one the prophecy had marked as his equal, or at least that was what the Prophet had spread." Draco said simply and shrugged. The Prophet was known for tampering with stories, at least he had learned that from his incident with them while he was out with Tom.

Draco placed his hand on Harry's, "That night, Harry, your parents were killed. They were murdered, and the Dark Lord had attempted to allegedly kill you. Only it didn't work, it back fired and the Dark Lord fell." Draco said softly his grip on Harry's hand tightened, "I'm so sorry Harry. Albus placed you with your Aunt and Uncle to keep you safe, however that was clearly a poor choice on his part."

Harry's head snapped up, Albus had placed him in that hellhole, the young boy grit his teeth, "What does that have to do with Tom?" he hissed. Draco shivered as he placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, "Harry…"

The young boy closed his eyes and locked his jaw, he physically looked as though he were in pain. Draco's eyes were dim as he opened them again, his lips parted a little as he held Harry in place, "Harry… we don't say his name." Draco said lamely. Harry glared at the blonde, fear of a name was ridiculous, it only increased the fear of the thing itself, and if that thing were human it had to be mortal. Therefore the fear was ludicrous it wasn't as though it were immortal, all things died.

Draco's pink tongue slipped out of his lips as he replied, "Lord Voldemort, we call him the Dark Lord." Harry hummed, the name was strange to his ears, and sounded vaguely familiar. It was strange how these things worked. Draco gently nudged the raven haired boy, "Come, let's get something to eat. I'm sure Nagini is chasing the elves by now and we both know someone has to call off the killer snake." Draco teased as he jumped off the bed.

 


	15. It Takes 2

Stillness, silence, two things that were uncommon in the Gaunt Estate since the arrival of it's rather unusual occupants. It was strange to see the house in a state of such piece, it was unnerving actually, after the grand parties Tom had thrown, the constant pranking of Severus and Tom by a pair of incorrigible boys, the shuffle of elves had died down, visitors nowhere to be scene and even the pace of the day seemed to slow to a slow, and painful march.

Sitting at a table with her head resting on her palm gazing lazily at a brilliant white rose was a beautiful platinum blonde haired matriarch. Her silver eyes gazed at the flower with border as her free hand began to poke a fallen pettle on the table. Her slender shoulders heaved a sigh as each of her long figures swept over the silken pettle. A lock of black hair fell over her shoulder as she shifted and began leaning even more heavily on the mahogany end table in the solarium. She was once again surrounded by her orchids, and yet found herself utterly bored.

Narcissa shifted causing her green sundress to whisper, the chiffon was so thin it seemed to float with her every movement, and allowed for the individual to see mere traces of skin. Even though her figure was outlined by a silk liner, the ability to see more of her body as the shell shifted was risky. Her long legs were bare; she had decided to leave the hoes in the closet and opted for a more natural look instead. It wasn't an outfit that most wizarding ladies of her rank would wear, the dress was backless after all with a slight cross made by two thin black cords. In the front, it looked as though it were simply a halter dress, with the black thin straps holding up the front.

Her black leather oxford heels clicked as her legs swept over the stone floor. She huffed with irritation, the boys were out with Severus shopping, since they had broken several priceless flasks and a number of stirring rods. Tom was out dealing with the bank and had to make an appearance at Wizingmont, and Lucius was busy with the Ministry. Leaving a very bored Narcissa Malfoy at the castle, she was accustomed to being on her own for periods of time, but it always irritated her how slow her life became between contracts.

She had grown accustomed to the constant chaos that she had forgotten what the silence really was like. Her cello was resting against the metal chair across from her, the bow waiting on the table and sheets strewn about. She could find the interest to even play it. Her mind wandered, so much had occurred since the party, Tom had been launched onto the international stage and was quickly becoming one of the most recognizable and powerful wizards in the world.

Yet, it wasn't only Tom prospering; Severus was as well. Since the dour wizard was often seen following Tom or near him, more Masters were gaining interest in his work. Quickly Severus had become just as famous and was quickly deemed one of the most brilliant minds in potions in a century and perhaps a millennium. His work was printed in every language, sold in every shop and with each day he was becoming more and more famous. His wealth was compounding to the point that soon the man wouldn't have to live in a position in servitude, he could be a Lord, as he should be, at least that was in Narcissa's mind.

Something soft swept her out of her musings, it was warm and she could smell the familiar scent of wood, spices and Azaleas as lips were pressed against her neck. "Beautiful," was all she heard as she allowed her husband's sweet baritone to wash over her, his breath ghosting over her neck as he did so. Narcissa sat up and hummed, as his fingers swept over her shoulders and down her arms, tracing them as his lips slipped down her neck gently. "What's wrong my dear?" asked Lucius softly as he kissed her pulse point causing her to gasp.

Narcissa lifted her arm and gently turned to face him, her fingers slipping into his long hair as she did so and she smiled, "I'm bored, you have gotten me so accustomed to chaos that this quite life isn't what I know," she replied as she leaned in closer to his ear, "I'm afraid I'm lost once again." She hated to admit it, but it was the truth, this simple existence that she occupied in between contracts wasn't enough, she wanted more. Lucius chuckled as he ran his fingers up her arms, eliciting another shiver from her. "I see," he replied as he smirked, "Let's see what we can do about that."

Silver eyes met as Lucius pulled out his wand and with a flick she heard clapping, a familiar count, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, it was soft at first until it grew steadily louder a pulse that echoed in the room. The piano in the corner began to play and all too familiar intro, one she knew by heart. Lucius held his hand out to her, his eyes dancing playfully as he asked, "Shall we cure your boredom?" Narcissa smiled, she remembered this as well. It was just like the first time she had truly met Lucius.

_That night it was toward the end of the Yule Ball, naturally everyone had attempted to dance the night away, but many had to quit due to aching feet or had run off to have an illicit tryst. Among the sea of blue and white, with hints of gold, she had chosen a black dress with bright red Indian inspired scrollwork, the garment was made of silk and swept over one shoulder before wrapping her much like a sari did. Her back was exposed as well as her legs, her lips were painted bright red and she had blood red roses in her hair. It was bold, especially for a Slytherin, but that night she felt a bit brave. Few had danced with her, they opted to dance with others, despite her status as being the most desired witch in the school. She sighed as she watched other girls float across the floor, "So boring," she had muttered._

_Now all she could do was laugh at herself, the truth was none of the wizards felt confident enough to invite her to dance, and those who did were simply attempting to woo her. Truth be told and unknown to her, Luicus had claimed her from the moment he laid eyes on her. Narcissa could chuckle now at the silliness of her school days. She had been attempting to capture the interest of another, Avery, she had managed to capture the gaze of the most desired wizard in the school, Lucius._

_Her eyes had gazed out at the dance floor wistfully, only to glance over to the band. It was then she noticed a young wizard whispering to the conductor, it was Avery and her heart soared. There was a moment that she believed that the man was finally going to dance with her. The room fell silent before the conductor began to clap a familiar rhythm, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The soft clap soon grew in intensity as the students seemed to catch on, carrying it through the hall as though it had always been there._

_It wasn't until a young man had cleared his throat that her eyes fell on the one wizard who captured her, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy._

_She could remember the young wizard as clear as day. He was dressed in a jet black tuxedo, unlike the rest who had chosen to contrast their appearance with hints of color, Lucius proffered to remain monochrome. Draped over his shoulder was a black fur lined caplet, with a silver fastening chain. His silver eyes were clouded with apparent desire, and the corners of his lips curled in the signature smirk of a Malfoy. His long platinum blonde hair was a stark contrast to the pure black of his tuxedo, making it seem more like a golden mien._

_The students had cleared the floor, since none of them were skilled in the dance, as a familiar count had echoed through the hall, that same pulse that made her desire to swing her hips and fall into his hands._

_Lucius' nimble fingers unfastened his cape, his silver eyes never left her as the black caplet was removed, it fanned around him as he quickly pulled it from his shoulders and tossed it a distance away, it landed on a chair, causing a number of girls to whisper and giggle, as the young men groaned with irritation._

_His lips were still curled in his signature smirk, as he slipped out of his jacket, and tossed that as well, it landed on top of his caplet with stunning accuracy, his bowtie had been untied and the top button of his shirt was already unfastened. It was only then she noticed blood red and emerald green scroll work in the vest he had been wearing, it was so dark that she nearly missed it._

" _Let's cure your boredom," he said smoothly, an invitation that she had been longing to hear all night. His long fingers were extended to her as he bent ever so slightly at the waist, a proper invitation to a dance that was anything but tame. She could tell the conductor was going to switch pieces; it would be a waste considering the band was doing so well with a traditional piece. Feeling a little braver she accepted his outstretched hand, an invitation which had lead to even more than a brief dance on the floor._

_That night in a hall decked in icy and snow, the pair managed to light a fire that couldn't be extinguished by even magic. She could remember the eyes of the school glaring a hole through her back as she accepted the invitation of the dashing Malfoy scion. It wasn't until they were in the middle of the floor that she wondered if he could Tango, she had learned as a little girl thanks to her father's desire to have them enjoy life and bend the rules._

Narcissa left her seat in the same manor she had all those years ago and allowed him to pull her into the middle of the floor, the sound of an oboe filled the room. His hand was soft as he barely held onto her, she smiled deviously as she flared her skirt and the dance began. She loved tango, especially with Lucius. He was passionate and powerful with each and every movement, his eyes demanded her to bend to his will and yet she could refuse him.

_Unlike the rest of the dances the tango was one of passion and not formality. There were no lines, they were eradicated as the partners executed elegant foot work with precision, and echoed the excitement of the band with their gestures. The nod of the head, the flare of the dress, the adjustment of posture, the dip as a hand swept over her neck and down her bust. Lucius' hands took command much as they had that night. Their steps were light, intimate and entwined as they teased one another. She could remember his broad chest against her's, and his warmth enveloping her, it was intoxicating. The feeling of his hands on her bare skin, how his fingers would caress her back as he held her, gliding with ease across the floor, taking command as though he had been born to do so._

_Sweeping over her curves with ease, his hands sliding up her leg as he held her, she could feel his hard body against hers and gasped. His proud smirk still curling his lips, always glad to melt the ice queen's façade with his passionate moves; he was a sly Slytherin as always. With each step the world seemed to fall away. All that mattered was that she was engaged in an intimate show of tangling and untangling limbs._

_She could still remember the gasp as Lucius decided to go even beyond what a boy in his age group was supposed to be able to do. Narcissa wrapped her leg around him as he dipped her low, his hand resting on her collarbone as he did so; his hand was softer then, but still just as demanding. She felt heat surge through her body and arousal in her belly, it was alien, but pleasant. He gently swept her in an arch before righting her with a snap, and they were gliding across the floor, circling one another as they did so, her skirt flaring as she smiled widely._

_Her hair was falling from its tight style and in her eyes, as her lips split into a smile, she allowed herself to fall into his pace. She could remember his cologne, the scent he still wore; it was strange how the mere scent made her think of him. His warm hands on her back as they strode across the floor, only for him to release her in a series of spins. Instinctively she stopped on a dime before Avery and turned her attention to the young Malfoy, holding her hand out to him, beckoning for him to return._

_Lucius was swift as he moved across the floor in firm strides, wrapping his arm around her back, lifting her slightly. Narcissa wrapped her arm around his neck and in a sweeping motion he was turning with her feet off the floor, carrying her off to a place she had never been to. She could feel the side of her body pressed into his, as she lifted her feet for a beautiful partial lift. Even then she marveled in his strength._

" _You know you should do that more," Lucius whispered as he pulled her close, she had managed to put her feet on the floor, and with ease he dragged her across it, the tips of her shoes dragging across the dance floor, as he did so. Her eyes half hooded as he dipped her once again, his hand slipping down her side and up her leg. He smiled curly before the pair pulled out of the dip and he pushed her away, causing her to take several steps back._

_His back was turned to her causing a smile to curl her lips. With no hesitation she wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself against his back, she could feel his powerful back and shoulders through his tuxedo and her leg slipped up his thigh suggestively._

" _Do what?" she whispered huskily._

_Lucius attempted to touch her only for the witch to pull back and he chased after her. He drew her into his embrace once again, "Smiling," he replied, "You look gorgeous when you do." A crimson blush covered her cheeks as he bent her backwards, his hand on her neck guiding her gently. His silver eyes were molten at this point and hadn't left hers. His gaze was enough to reduce her to a puddle at his feet._

_The music had ended loudly as applause seemed to sweep through the room, yet he never released her. His arm was still outstretched as he supported a majority of her weight. His long blonde hair fell over his shoulders and tickled her skin as his molten silver eyes bore into her. Unconsciously she lifted a hand to his face and smiled as she felt the smooth skin beneath her fingers, "Amused?" asked Lucius lightly. Naricissa hummed and replied, "With you? Always."_

Her attention was snapped to the present as he lifted her with ease off the floor and asked, "Love?" she chuckled, as his gaze softened and she was placed on the floor. "I was remembering something," she replied as he took a step forward causing her to take a step back. "Oh?" he asked curiously as he did a deep lunge, causing her to slip into a backward dip, his arm holding her weight as she lifted her arm over her head, his free hand resting at his side, yet his gaze never faltered.

"Us, the first time at the Yule Ball," she replied with a fond smile. Lucius laughed warmly as he guided her back up and took that as the cue to pull her close to him once more, his warm body pressed against hers as it was every night. "I see, how do I measure up to my former self?" he asked with curiosity, his brows lifted as he did so. His hold was gentle as they assumed a traditional Latin handhold. He took a series of steps backward causing her to follow him. "So far?" she asked, feigning disinterest.

Lucius chuckled, as he watched her spin with grace, "Humor me," was his reply. The witch chuckled deviously before responding, "Better," as she wrapped a leg around him. He lunged in reply causing her to hang onto him before lifting her free leg into the air, "Much better," she replied with a grin. Lucius growled as she hopped off of him and spun out, before she even knew it she was pressed against the wall, his lips on her throat as his hands were slipping all over her body.

She smirked and hummed with approval as he tossed his suit jacket away, his lips attacking her neck with hunger. "I knew you wouldn't last long," she said mockingly. Lucius slipped his hands under her dress, drawing nearer to his goal, "My dear, you aren't doing much better," he replied smugly as his fingers swept over her panties. She knew she was aroused, it was impossible to not be when tangoing with him.

Narcissa tipped her head back and gasped as he took this as an invitation to bite the side of her neck. Her fingers slipped into his long hair as she lifted one of her legs and pulled him even closer to him. Naturally the Lord didn't mind, he never did, not when she was ready to devoir him. "Hm… we should move," he whispered as he slipped his hands over her shoulders pushing the straps of her dress further down her shoulders. "I would love to do it here, but I don't Tom would appreciate it," he whispered.

The matriarch quirked a brow and looked at him as though he had lost it. She didn't care what Tom thought, she needed him,  **NOW** , and there was no waiting. "He's not home," she whispered hotly into his ear as she slipped her hands down his back, enjoying the feeling of his muscles rippling under it as he clutched her closer. He smiled as she quickly switched positions, his back hit the wall behind him violently as she grinned. Lucius groaned a little as his eyes fell on his wife, her eyes were hooded as she began unfastening the buttons of his shirt. Somewhere along the way he had lost his jacket and tie.

"You are insatiable," he whispered smugly, she knew he enjoyed this part of her, after all he was just as bad. She hummed, perhaps the day wasn't as boring as she thought it would be.

~~WL~~

"Really, is the man going to deny my resume?" asked Tom with a great deal of irritation, it was one thing to be rejected in his youth, however he was certainly older now and could put up quite a fight. The Dark Lord's crimson eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at the familiar green slanted script penned by Albus Dumbledore himself. Of course he had been denied once again, only this time was the reason that he was a Lord. Irritation swept through Tom as he tossed the letter onto the table. He wasn't going to stand for this, the man was questioning his abilities. He even referenced the fact that Tom hadn't made and attempt to defend Harry with an offensive spell, to add insult to injury. He had been itching to flick his wand and bind the Old Codger in a full body bind and melt his tongue.

In a sweep Tom was out of his chair and looked at the study, this wouldn't do. He was Lord Marvolo Gaunt, a powerful young wizard, not some stray. It was obvious that he was going to have to make announce the denial. A smirk curled his lips, he could get a job at the school, all he had to do was express public interest and through default he would have it to prevent an uproar in the wizarding community. "It's time I called in Miss Skeeter," he said simply as he summoned a House Elf with paper and a quill. If there was anyone who could light a fire under this issue it was the reporter.

Calling in a reporter wasn't typically something he was interested in doing, the issue was that they tended to dig. No matter how prepared he was, he knew if Skeeter looked hard enough she would surly discover who he was. Then again, timing was everything, there was a part of him that wanted the world to know who he was, that he had managed to once again rise from the ashes and take control. However, there was a large part of him that desired to simply continue living as Marvolo, a young ambitious Lord with a family, something he had longed for since he was a child.

His gaze fell on the ink well, as he picked the white quill up, his hand positioned over the pot as he decided just how he was going to address her. It was then he realized that she would be far too busy trying to get into his bed to really look at the story. Tom chuckled at the thought as he finally dipped the tip of the quill into the well and began to write.

> _Ms Skeeter,_
> 
> _It has come to my attention as of late that I had promised you an interview the day we met at Gringotts, I apologize for not rectifying this sooner. I had not intended to postpone it for such a long period, however, I had found myself rather preoccupied with the preparations of my Gala. I would be more than delighted to allow your request for an interview, if you are still interested._
> 
> _Please respond with when you are available._
> 
> _With Regards,_
> 
> _Lord Marvolo Gaunt_

Tom looked over the letter once again, before deciding it was just. With ease he slipped the golden parchment into an emerald green envelope and wrapped a black ribbon around it before sealing it with silver wax and the Gaunt crest. Rita Skeeter was written on the front and he smirked, he honestly wished he could see her expression when the letter fluttered across her desk.

"Osiris," he called, a warm smiled curled his lips as he watched the massive black owl sweep into his office, her wings were soft as her piercing ochre eyes locked onto the Dark Lord. The owl landed before him with grace, "Hello," he greeted as he ran his fingers over the owl's silken feathers, "I have a letter for you to take to Miss Skeeter with the Daily Prophet, she's a reporter. Wait for her reply and then return," he instructed before handing the owl the letter. Osiris nodded before flying across the room and out the window. Now all he had to do was wait.

Tom leaned back in his chair, years ago, if he had been told what he was about to do, he would certainly had hexed the individual into oblivion. Yet, here he was, adopting the boy that was supposedly going to kill him, falling in love – which he had been told was impossible to do after being conceved with a Love Potion – and once more trying to acquire a post at Hogwarts, with Albus just down the hall. In many ways his life had changed for the better, yet, he still wondered if this new life he had managed to make for himself would simply vanish before him, like smoke through a keyhole.

Harry had become a large part of his life, as had the Malfoys and Severus, they had become his family. A unique one that all came together to save a little boy who had been left in the snow to die. Tom shivered at the memory of healing the boy, it had been several months but the memories were too fresh. He could remember the putrid smell of infection, the blood on his hands, and the slight from of the boy who desired nothing more than love.

Over the past few months life for Harry was warmer, filled with light and love. Things which Tom had wanted for himself when he was a child, rather than the dark and dank orphanage he had been thrust into every Summer and had grown up in.

The Dark Lord shook his head, "No," he whispered. He had enough of that, he wanted a better future, one where he could make his own decisions, and Harry could be free to do as he pleased. Osiris flew over his head and he watched the letter fall before him. It was odd, it wasn't really a letter it was a sheet of parchment that Miss Skeeter had in a rush replied on. He felt slightly insulted until he read it, she was in the area and was hoping to stop by at 1, apparently Osiris had come across the witch earlier than he expected.

Tom got out of his seat and smirked, it was half past noon, and he had a few minutes to make himself truly presentable. He had been dressed in a three piece navy blue suit with a mint green shirt and emerald green and silver tie. It was unusual to see him in another color, besides black, but he felt the need to change things up, and navy was the way to go. He looked down at his custom made warm brown Oxfords and the belt that matched them. It wasn't until he caught his reflection in the mirror that he knew there was something to fix, his hair.

He had two choices, to play with it and ruffle it so he looked his age – well the one he appeared- or to style it in a more professional manner. Tom pursed his lips before deciding, that he was young enough to really mess with the order of things and quickly messed with it, spiking it in places, knocking it out of place to pieces of it fell in his eyes and he grinned. While he appreciated Lucius' slick and formal style, he wasn't that kind of noble, and his elaborate soirée had proved it.

The Dark Lord drew a deep breath, he wasn't interested in living up to the name of Gaunt. He lacked the willingness to stand among the rest of the faceless lords and submit to Albus. He wasn't going to stand among the rest and allow the carpet to be pulled out from under him. Tom smirked at his reflection as he flicked his wand to give himself coffee highlights in an attempt to brighten his face, only to find it made his crimson eyes stand out even more.

No, he wasn't going to bow, the time for cowering was over. It was now time to retaliate, to react and most importantly to alter the very courts, he wanted tradition to remain and yet he desired to shatter it and rebuild it in his image.

Tom hummed as he looked at the man staring back at him in the mirror. A feeling of loneliness struck him, part of him wished that Harry and Severus were present. Harry had become a son to him in a number of ways, in fact he loved the boy so dearly that he was honestly going to make Harry his son, if the young wizard would have him. Over the past few months he found himself caring even more for the young man, to the point that he questioned what he had been thinking that night.

Severus, "Sev," he muttered with a soft smile. The wizard knew very little of love, and he knew that from the many times Lucius had told him of the young boy crying at night from nightmares. There were even a few times Severus had grabbed Lucius out of sheer desperation and the blonde ended up falling into the violent dreams of the young man. Tom sighed sadly, Lucius hadn't told him much, but much to Tom's displeasure he had stumbled across the memories one evening. He could remember seeing a child cowering as his father nearly beat him to death.

Now, that young battered boy was his most trusted Potion Master, and the only other person he loved more than life. "Ironic," he huffed, "I always feared death, and yet here I am willing to give my life to save others." Part of him wondered if that wounded little boy had ever left that dark bedroom. That morning when he kissed Severus, he felt the world shift, his world, upon the realization that perhaps it was entirely possible for him to love. Severus had broken that idea, he wanted the man and yet had no idea how to go about it.

In his Hogwarts days, girls threw themselves at him, quite literally in a few cases. To the point he never had to worry about attending a function alone. There was a line, and apparently they had taken numbers to get on it, or so he had been told by Abraxas years later. Yet, for all the chaos that had surrounded him, he had never taken anyone on a proper date, he had never been one for flours and chocolate, but he had no idea if Severus was.

"This is ludicrous," he mumbled, "How in the nine gates of hell am I supposed to go about this?"

It was then an elf named Mipsy appeared, she was dressed in a small tunic with the house crest and her feet were covered in slippers. "Miss Skeeter is at the door sir," the elf intoned smoothly. Tom nodded and looked down at the little creature, "Thank you, I'll meet her in the foyer," he said simply. Mipsy was a house elf that had come from the estate, and although he hadn't known her long, she seemed more than capable. He doubted she was as skilled as Sage, Severus' elf, but she certainly wasn't a common one. He left his place in his study and walked down to the foyer.

Miss Skeeter was dressed in a sharp brown dress suit with a pencil skirt, her hair was still rather wild, but he could tell that she had ate least attempted to tame it in order to prevent herself from looking like a complete mess. A smile curled Tom's lips as he descended the staircase, "Miss Skeeter, it's wonderful that you were able to come at such short notice," he said warmly. The reporter twirled around and ogled at him, he was accustomed to this look but never fully understood it. He was well aware he was attractive, but he disliked it when women were so open about inspecting him.

Tom stepped off the final step and in a few strides he was standing before him. "Welcome to my home, I was wondering if you would like to continue this conversation on the veranda," he said with ease. She nodded quickly before following him, Tom held his hand out to her and the reporter seemed more than happy to take his arm. "What a marvelous estate," she whispered in awe, he could tell she was looking around attempting to take it all in.

Her eyes flittered over every surface as they drew closer to the back of the house. Just as they turned the corner he heard her gasp. They were in his favorite hallway, the one with a portrait that was empty half the time. "Is this even part of the same house?" she mused as she looked at the long billowing curtains. Tom chuckled a little as he walked over toward two massive windows and opened them so they were walking out onto the veranda. It had a spectacular view of the ocean and he hummed.

The breeze swept through the veranda, it smelled of salt and crisp lilies. Tom paused, he didn't remember lilies in the house, Narcissa had given him a few orchids. Crimson eyes fell on a large vase filled with pure white lilies, immediately he knew who had put them there, Severus. The Potion Master had taken a liking to sitting on the veranda at night and reading, he must have placed the vase on the table. Miss Skeeter quickly looked at the flowers and said, "Oh how pretty, you certainly have quite the house Lord Gaunt." Tom smiled in agreement, it was beautiful.

He rounded the table where the lilies were and sat so he could look past them and at Miss Skeeter, but used them as an boundary. She seemed to take this as a hint and quickly the reporter took her seat. She looked through her horned glasses at him as she perched a quill eagerly over a pad hovering next to her. "I must admit I was a bit shocked when you had informed me of your interest in allowing me to interview you," she began hesitantly, "You've been rather illusive, aside from the number of galas and events you've attended, hardly anyone knows just who you are."

Tom smiled as he called, "Mipsy, bring us a kettle of Earl Gray please," he said to the elf smoothly, with a bow Mipsy was gone and his attention was on Miss Skeeter once again, "I must confess I have been busy as of late navigating the waters here, Britain is very different from Salem," he explained graciously, her eyes widened and immediately he watched the quill scratch away. "Salem, as in Salem, Massachusetts?" she asked rapidly. Mipsy returned in that moment with a steaming hot kettle and a French Press of coffee. Skeeter stared at the elf in confusion and Tom realized that the elf had taken it upon herself to bring both. Tom was quick to float the large glass French press off the tray and pour himself a cup of black Columbian coffee.

"Yes, one in the same," he replied with a smile, "I attended the Salem School of Witch Craft and Wizardry." Rita's eyes widened at the statement, he was well aware of the Salem Witches' Institute, being selective but the school he had just stated was even more exclusive, only the best were able to attend. Narcissa had been kind enough to contact her cousin, who happened to be the headmaster and had his papers forged. It didn't take much considering he was more than qualified.

She leaned toward him and asked curiously, "How did you end up here?" Tom smirked, she believed him now all he had to do was spin it. He lifted his shoulders and said nonchalantly, "I wanted to see the home of my ancestors, I had been told since I was a child I was from a long line of wizards from Britain but never had a chance to visit. The war had terrified my parents and it was safer in America." He drew a deep breath and realized he hadn't explained much. Miss Skeeter was about to ask another question when he held up his hand to stop her.

"My parents had run from Britain, my mother had been pregnant and they had no desire to become engaged in a war. They were terrified of the Dark Lord, and while they had agreed for his original desire to reform, disagreed with his methods of doing so as well as the extremes he had taken it to. My mother and father had left in such a rush that they didn't have a penny to their name and were forced to start anew in America.

"I was born shortly after they had moved to Salem, my father had become a teacher at the School I would later attend, and my mother was researching portions to decrease the long-term affects of the Cruciatus Curse. Needless to say I was a bit of a surprise, a happy one at that. I grew up with a professor from the school and my mother teaching me all she could. At least that was until I was accepted at Salem," he remarked with a bit of a snort. He couldn't help it, Narcissa had told him to be honest about what he was like as a child, after all it was still him, just Marvolo rather than Tom.

Rita gave him a puzzled look, "What's so amusing?" she asked keenly. Tom chuckled as a small smile curled his lips, he could remember the hell he would raise with Abraxas and Avery. "My school days, I can't begin to tell you how frequently I was in my father's office for allegedly doing something," he said with a chuckle. Rita snickered and shook her head, her lips curling at the corners, "Allegedly?" she asked lightly. Tom looked around for a moment and replied, "Between you and me, well…. Let's just say I did assist in most, if not all of the things I was blamed for," he winked at her after saying so, a teasing smirk was on his lips once more, it was the truth.

The bushy haired blonde reporter blushed after the wink, "It wasn't until later I was forced to clean up my act," he paused and closed his eyes, "my mother died when I was thirteen, it was rough on both Dad and I," he said softly, allowing his false pain to lace his voice. His eyes opened slowly as they fell on the lilies between them, "I had to become someone my family would be proud of, that my mother would be proud of," he explained softly, a solemn expression was on his face as he realized that in that moment he knew how Harry felt. It was heavy and made his heart hurt to think of the little boy feeling such a way.

A sniffle reminded him of just whom was with him and he looked up to see Skeeter tearing up. Tom quickly pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her, "Here," he said gently, "Anyway, I managed to improve my grades and graduated top of my class. Afterword I went onto study advanced forms of Defense Against the Dark Arts and dueled in my college years. I became one of the best at both dueling and wards," he said simply with a boyish grin. This caught her off guard as she nodded, "I had been offered a chance to work with the Ministry in America but decided I would come here instead, I wanted to trace my lineage back and finally go home."

The green quill was scratching as fast as it could in an attempt to keep up with his responses. "Did you expect to become a Lord?" she asked curiously. Tom shook his head, "No it wasn't until I had gone to the bank to get a copy of my familiar records that I had learned of my title," he replied. She stared at him and he could tell she was curious about Harry, not that he could blame her, he had left the boy out for a reason. He didn't want the interview to turn into a piece that would expose the boy's past for the world to see, especially with what he had endured.

"What about Mr. Potter? Did you know who he was? When did you meet him?" she asked in a rush, apparently readers would be interested in that. Tom sighed softly and looked rather reluctant, he had hoped to avoid that topic, "I met Harry when I first arrived, I had gotten a tad lost when I noticed a small injured boy crying. His relatives hated him and I couldn't send him back to them," he said softly, "They were monsters, so I took him in and offered him a home. I had known the Malfoys for a while, since I had met Narcissa's cousin in Salem, and met Severus through them," he stated to avoid being asked those questions.

Rita hummed as she picked up her tea cup and took a sip, the white porcelain contrasted greatly against her skin. Tom took that moment to pause and mull over his next answer as he ran his finger over the side of his coffee mug. "I didn't know who he was when I first saw him, and to be honest I didn't care. All that mattered was that there was a little boy before me who was in pain and I knew I could help," he said earnestly, it was a total lie either, the truth was he wanted to save the boy, he never wanted Harry to feel the pain he did. No child deserved that.

The reporter was silent as he took a sip of his bitter black coffee, it was hot in his mouth and seemed to ground him, he should have known she would ask about Harry. However, he didn't think to prepare answers, "Why take him to the bank?" she asked. Tom swallowed his coffee and lowered his mug, "He wanted to go, he had never seen goblins before and was interested in learning about finances," he replied with a shrug. The reporter's mouth popped open, before she sneered, "Why would he want to learn that?"

Tom placed his mug on the table and asked simply, "Why not?" as he raised a brow. Rita huffed and crossed her arms, "That's what goblins are for." Internally Tom growled, he suppressed the urge the leap at her and kill her, she clearly didn't understand the importance of respecting another creature for their contribution to society. "Miss Skeeter, Goblins are a fundamental part of the Wizarding community, they keep track of our markets, our finances and serve as an overseer to investors. Even if we have a division of the ministry devoted to trade, that doesn't mean it isn't important for a wizard to learn the basics and understand that Goblins are actually very important to our society," he lectured, his voice was hard and left no room for argument.

He crossed his leg over his leg and hummed, "When I was his age my father had taught me how to play stock and invest, you don't think all the money you see is from only the Gaunt Vaults do you?" he asked. Rita shook her head and swallowed hard, he could tell she was regretting her remark. He hummed as he leaned back and placed his chin on his palm, crimson eyes never leaving her as he did so. She looked terrified of him in that moment, causing him to smile a little, he did love to intimidate.

The wind ruffled the lilies on the table, giving him even more confidence, "Magical creatures are valuable to our society, Goblins, Elves, Vampires and Werewolves are important, and should be treated with respect for all they do, and even as equals," he mused before turning his attention to the coast, "We aren't superior, we are equals, and many can't help what they are, they were born or bitten into it. What matters is how they lead their lives and that they obey the law for all living things," he stated. His voice carried over the roll of the tides sweeping into the shore. The only other thing that could be heard was the scratching of a pen.

"How do you feel about education here in Britain?" she asked, "You are after all, the son of a professor and researcher." Tom hummed, this he could be honest with, since he really disliked what education had become. His lips pursed before he responded, "I'm disgusted, students from Britain are greatly bellow the average wizard internationally, not to mention the fact that they have proved to be unable to make decisions and problem solve," his voice was harsh and cold. There was no way an average student could pass the rigorous studies he had when he was in school, and that was a fact.

Tom's red eyes fell on Skeeter, they were steeled, hard and unyielding, "I want to start a reform in education, but not on a government level, in the classroom, where we see it in action," he stated. Her quill had finally paused, as Skeeter held her hand up causing it to pause, her eyes were locked on his. "We need students who can be the researchers of tomorrow, problem solvers for the next century and brilliant minds to craft tomorrow and avoid war," he reasoned.

Rita slowly leaned forward and asked, "Are you saying this about all schools in Britain or?" she was silent as Tom looked at her with a hint of indifference, "What do you think?" The reporter looked at the quill and once again it moved, scratching down everything he had said, "You're daring, Lord Gaunt," she said softly. Tom made no reply he simply took another sip of bitter black coffee.

She looked at her green quill before finally asking, "Since you are a newly appointed Lord, what do you plan to do? You're resume is impressive, is there a position you would like?" That was the question he had been waiting for.

Tom smirked a little, his red eyes danced as he pulled out his yew wand and twirled it between his fingers, "Yes actually, I was interested in teaching like my father," he replied simply. She straightened up in that moment and looked as though she had been struck with lightening, "Where?" she asked quickly, all mannerisms had been thrown to the curve and Tom grinned.

"Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry," he replied.

In seconds Rita was staring slack jawed, "You've applied for the Defense Against the Dark Arts Post! Were you accepted? Can we expect to see you donning a teaching robe this September?" she asked rapidly, now the quill was moving so quickly Tom was impressed that it hadn't burst into flames. He had no idea that what Narcsissa had said would be true, that since he was attractive, mysterious and powerful that everyone would hope that he would.

"No," he said after a moment, "I was rejected."

There was dead silence as Rita stared at him in shock, her lips moved but there weren't words following them. "WHAT?" she shouted. Tom sighed and looked at the lilies on the table once more, "I was rejected, and informed that I was overly qualified," he replied. Rita was on her feet now and he could tell she was fuming, "We'll see about that Lord Gaunt, I hope you get the post," she said quickly before turning on her heel. Only to pause after realizing she was about to leave without his permission. She looked over her shoulder Tom smiled, "It's alright, you seem to be in a rush and if you move fast enough you'll make the late edition," he replied.

Rita nodded stiffly before dashing out of the room. He could tell she was already drafting the article and was going to really set the wizarding world a blaze. He smiled, journalists loved the change the world, even the gosspier Skeeter wasn't a bout to turn down the opportunity to change social norms. With the lazy flick of the wrist an elegant chess board appeared on the table, the pieces were glass and platinum. Tom smiled as he said, "Pawn to G6," he watched as the piece uncurled and stepped into position.

"Your move, Albus," he said simply as he lounged against the soft cushions of the sofa and enjoyed the view. Ignoring the pieces on the board, he always loved games, and this was not exception.

~~WL~~

Severus hummed as he left the apothecary, both boys in tow carrying his purchase, they had been the ones to break it after all. Harry and Draco were grumbling, "If you two dunderheads would stay out of my lab and behave we wouldn't be doing this," he snapped with irritation, he really hated replacing his equipment. Glassware was expensive and it didn't help that he preferred hand-blown Austrian ware by Riddell & Sons. It amazed him just how much of his money went to the company, there were no better vessels in the world to use, and everyone in the industry knew if it was a Riddell, it was junk. Severus heaved a sigh, Lucius and Tom both wanted to pay for the purchase but the stubborn man refused, it wasn't the price it was the fact that this was the third time he was replacing them.

"It wasn't my fault!" shouted Draco with irritation and Severus growled, it was a lie, he knew it. "Draco, don't lie, it's unbecoming of a Malfoy," he said simply, even though it was far from the truth, the Malfoys had become superior liars. Then again when the Dark Lord was living in your house in the guise of the newest Lord, it was bound to make anyone a superb liar. Harry was quiet, and he could tell from the silence that the young wizard was truly upset he had broken Severus' equipment. The Potion Master hummed, he hated being rough on them, but when they acted like animals he felt the need to berate them for being such.

He was about to comment when there was an explosion of activity in Diagon Alley. He paused as men and women were shouting at one another, "What?" asked Draco and he felt Harry grip his robes. Black eyes narrowed as he watched the group, he wasn't interested in being dragged into a riot. "Stay behind me," he cautioned as he pushed both boys behind him and pulled his wand out. He had no interest in either of the boys being harmed, much less being dragged into a brawl in the middle of the street.

Immediately he was alert and ready to attack anyone who posed a threat. All those years of being a tempered spy, to prevent Albus from learning, just who he had sided with. In reality he hadn't chosen a side, he wanted to protect Harry at all costs. Yet, he couldn't seem to explain why he had done such a ritual to stitch Tom back together, all he knew was that it felt right. It felt as though if he didn't he would never be able to keep Harry safe, that somehow Tom Riddle was part of the massive puzzle.

A pair of wizards passed him and it was then he caught what had been the source, the Late Edition of the Prophet. Instantly he noticed them leafing through the pages and jabbing the paper as they argued. It was so loud that he couldn't make out a word of what they were saying.

He had to get a copy. Severus was quick to walk over to a paper stand and handed the boy a few coins before snatching a copy. The Headline screamed for attention,  _ **Lord Gaunt's Application for DADA Position at Hogwarts REJECTED**_. Severus jaw dropped, Tom had just declared war, officially. Severus' black eyes widened, he hadn't been told Tom was going to be doing this. This was daring and immediately the Potion Master knew he had to get the boys to a safe location and make his next move, prepare for the arrival of Lord Gaunt and begin searching for the Chamber.

> **Lord Gaunt's Application for DADA Position at Hogwarts REJECTED**
> 
> _**Rita Skeeter, Gossip Columnist of the Daily Prophet** _
> 
> _There are Lords and then there are Lords, and this one is no exception. Just this past Summer Lord Marvolo Gaunt had allowed the Wizarding World to enter his home as he held his first Lordship Gala. The event had been packed from top to bottom with the most influential names in Magic, from the Minister to Forging Liaisons, Quiditch Stars, Researchers, Lords from the far reaches of the globe, the Current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry Professor Albus Dumbledore and most importantly, the young Harry Potter, who had been declared his new protégé and apprentice. With his house decked in the exotic world of India, the party had set the tone of the season that no one seemed to beat._
> 
> _Yet, after his show of knowledge and release of a number of articles including works on advanced spell combinations and warding, it is a shock that the prestigious and aloof wizard's application was rejected by Headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore. It was a shock when I had been sent a letter by the Lord himself accepting my offer to interview him. Only at the interview did I learn just what kind of Lord, Marvolo Gaunt intends to become._
> 
> _The question is, despite his resume and intimate knowledge of the wizarding world, why he had been rejected? … (Full Interview on Page 9)_

Tom had clearly issued his challenge, and in more ways than one chucked a gauntlet for Albus to accept at his feet. It was a daring move, and now he realized just how serious the young man was. Tom wasn't one to make such moves without reason, he could remember the meeting and knew that Tom was displeased with Albus threatening the Malfoys and even more so with his attack on Harry. At the meeting Severus though Tom was joking about applying for the position only to realize just how sincere Tom was.

The Alley was in uproar, "Lord Gaunt is a genius! Have you read some of his publications?" asked a witch. People flocked book shops and were speaking rapidly, "What is Dumbledore thinking? He'd be indispensible to the staff, the fact that he's even willing to teach is a miracle in it's self!" Draco and Harry looked at Severus curiously as the Potion Master read a well written article siding with Tom, well it certainly made noise and would draw people's attention to the issue.

There was a bit of truth however, Tom was brilliant and the pages he had published were actually his research. He had always been one of the best Wizards of all time, especially when it came to understanding Magical Theory and just how magic worked, but no one had anticipated that he also had an intimate knowledge in Wards and Hexes on top of dueling and runes.

Severus felt a strange pang of curiosity as his name was tossed into the mix, "Not to mention he is friends with Severus Snape, Potion Master, honestly he may scare you half to death, but he's always been on the cutting edge of potions," stated a witch firmly as she walked by with her companion who was nodding in accord, neither seemed to notice him. Now he really had an issue, Tom was being placed along side him and Albus was going to be irate. Not only was the young Lord gaining popularity but he was as well, and the fact that Severus worked at Hogwarts seemed to be a minor detail compared to his papers which were now getting a great deal of attention.

Before he could say a word a House Elf appeared before him, it wasn't Sage but a Hogwarts elf. He looked at the small trembling creature as it stammered, "Sir, Headmaster Dumbledore has requested to see you immediately. He is assembling the entire staff." Severus arched a brow, Albus was clearly angry since the house elf looked as though it were about to shake it's self to pieces. "I'll be there soon, please inform him that I am currently dropping off Draco and some supplies to the estate. DO NOT MENTION POTTER," he commanded. The small creature nodded before popping away. He didn't need Albus going lateral over the fact that he had been with the young Potter scion.

He looked down at the boys and handed Harry the paper, "It would appear that you have to go home so I can attend an emergency staff meeting," he remarked. Harry flicked open the paper and noticed Tom sitting leisurely with his wand between his fingers and a smile curling his lips, he looked devious and as though he completely understood what he had just done. Severus had seen that look once before and realized Tom had just made the first official move, not only had he stated he was rejected from Hogwarts, but just stated that education was lacking, on top of siding with investors from around the world and calling for respect for magical creatures. He had just literally ignited the fire in every political party in Britain with a simple interview.

Naturally the wizard had decided to state his rejection publically and now Albus had to decide what his next move would be. All he could hope for was that Albus would accept Tom and allow for such reforms to occur. He was tired of teaching students partially, he wanted a challenge and was more than willing to pull out all the stops. If it meant keeping Harry and Draco safe and working to create a better world, he would do anything to achieve this man's vision.

"Uncle, why is this such an issue?" asked Draco after a moment as he took the paper from Harry's hands. Severus hummed as he began to lead the boys to the appartion point, "Simple, Marvolo is a Lord, and there is little you can do to deny them. A Lord by nature has skill and is often a forerunning in a field, for example your father Draco is the front runner in law. He's run point on a number of cases and has a conviction average that most solicitors salivate over," he stated, "Not to mention he's very good at hexes." The young blonde nodded after a moment and looked at Severus.

The Potion Master sighed, he could only imagine the insanity that was surrounding the school as the paper was brought to Albus. He had heard rumor that Albus was contemplating Gilderoy Lockhart, but prayed it wasn't the case. He had no desire to work with a man whose largest concern was his hair and smile. On top of the fact that half the female population would throw their panties at him if they could, even if Tom was handsome he would never stoop to such a level. Lockhart though, he was certain the man would enjoy it.

Severus cringed and continued, "Marvolo is a master when it comes to the Dark Arts and skilled with Defense, he's quite the duelist," he remarked, "He is also a new Lord, which means the public all know him by name. Even though the Malfoy's are famous, there are few Lords which are just as much. Notts and Goyals are two you never hear of, and the Head of the Black House has gone missing. The only other Lord mentioned is Potter," he paused and looked down at Harry, "Your father."

Harry stared at Severus and nodded, "What about you?" he asked slowly. Severus' brow lifted as he looked at the young wizard curiously, "Well you're from a family that's powerful aren't you?" asked Harry. Severus paused, he hadn't told anyone, unless Narcissa had mentioned it to him. "Why?" he asked curiously.

The young man shrugged his slender shoulders and replied, "Well the way people treat you, for one and another being that none of the portraits in the castle snarl at you." Severus stared, he hadn't noticed that detail, the portraits belonging to the Malfoys didn't snarl either, but he never realized even the Gaunts respected him. "People treat me as they do because I'm the youngest Potion Master in history, and the most skilled," he stated. Harry didn't look the least bit convinced which caused Severus to sigh, of course the boy was questioning him and if it weren't for the fact that he had never collected his Lordship from his Grandfather, he knew he wasn't one.

He hadn't even seen his grandfather at the Gala Tom had held.

~~WL~~

Shoes hit the floor of the castle at an alarming rate; the sound of robes rustling filled the air as the pants of the runner were heard through the halls. A flash of green appeared as it darted around the corner and made its way up to the Headmaster's office. The portraits on the walls stared in shock as the woman moved through the halls, as though she were possessed clutching a paper in her hands harshly. After a few flights of stairs, the figure skidded to a stop and shouted, "SUGAR QILLS!" in anger. Pants caused her body to heave as she stepped on one of the steps and allowed the gargoyle to bring her to the Headmaster's office.

As she ascended the elderly woman adjusted her had and robes and cast a few charms to rearrange herself, it was unbefitting of her to look as though she had sprinted through the halls, despite the fact that, she had just done so. Once the gargoyle came to a stop she knocked on the door twice, the sound reverberated around her and she heard a muffled, "Enter."

The door flew open in a flash as a more than irate Professor Minerva McGonagall threw it open. "Albus, just what have you done!" she shouted angrily, causing the elderly headmaster to look up at her, over the rims of his half-moon spectacles in confusion. "Minerva?" he asked hesitantly as he slipped the glasses off his nose and placed them on a letter he had been reading from the Minister. The Head of Gryffindor stopped before his desk and threw the crumpled paper of the Daily Prophet across it. "Read it," she hissed as she jabbed her finger at it.

Albus slipped his glasses back on and proceeded to stare at the paper before him, "Late Edition," he seethed. Marvolo was proving to be more a thorn in his side than Severus and Lucius combined, which was certainly saying something, since the pair had given him more than enough trouble. Gray eyes skimmed over the interview, of what he assumed was about half an hour, he had managed to shred a number of misconceptions and point out issues that people had been avoiding. Gaunt was working toward causing people to not only question his authority but the society that they had accepted.

He disliked Gaunt at the Gala he had been invited to, especially since his Lotus was blank. Minerva had told him that they were charmed to show the names of the individuals lost that the holder loved. Apparently the charm stated he hadn't felt a thing for all the individuals who had given their lives to fight for him, all of his deceased chess pieces. "I see Lord Gaunt is protesting," he stated simply as he tossed the paper aside, "This is meaningless."

Minerva crossed her arms and glared, one which was worthy in strength of Severus, "You rejected his application, he's qualified!" she shouted. Albus suppressed the urge to sigh, of course Minerva had been following the young enigmatic Lord, then again who wasn't. Gaunt was certainly a genius and perhaps one of the best, especially from his encounter with the young man and what he had read. In fact, he was shocked to have been fully barred from the young Lord's mind, it was rare to meet someone who was that powerful at mind magic, he could only imagine what it was like to duel the young man.

Albus steepled his fingers and replied, "He didn't fit the position." It was true, to a certain degree, he couldn't manipulate Gaunt, he had a hard enough time with Severus. Gaunt would only add more trouble, not to mention the fact that the Malfoys were open supporters of his. "Albus, we need a professor of his caliper, who else would be better to teach the students?" she seethed.

"Gilderoy Lockheart," he replied with a shrug.

Minerva's eyes widened in terror, "THAT IDIOT IS YOUR IDEA OF A SUITABLE TEACHER!?" she roared, causing Albus to wince. She certainly was capable of roaring like a lion when she saw need to. "Yes, he's respected," he said simply, and  _easily_   _manipulated_ , he added mentally. Minerva's eyes narrowed as she pointed at the door, "You know he's a fraud! You can't allow him to teach!" she snarled, "Gaunt is qualified and from what I could tell that night an excellent role-model!"

Albus leaned on his hand and said simply, "Minerva, he's a good teacher, and even if Gaunt is good with Harry and Malfoy, that doesn't mean he can teach." She wasn't convinced, in fact, she looked as though she were going to maul him. It wasn't the first time he had been on the receiving end of the expression, and knew it wouldn't be the last. "Interview him," she stated harshly, as she pointed at the paper, "Interview Gaunt."

Albus sat up and said firmly, "No."

Minerva huffed in irritation as she stated, "I'll take this to the Board of Governors if I have to." Albus smiled and shrugged simply, "Go on, they have no power over who I hire." It was the truth the charter didn't allow for them to have such a power, it was reserved for the Headmaster. In a flurry of green robes the Head of Gryffindor was storming out of his office and the headmaster glared at the offensive rag sitting on his desk.

Just as he was about to toss the paper in the fire he noticed a chessboard appear on a side table, he didn't recognize it until he notice a piece had moved. "So this is how you're playing it Marvolo," he mused, "Fine, since it's my turn, I'll make sure to destroy you so you don't even get to your third move."

 


	16. Unassuming Flowers

There are those who crave power but run from it and then there are those who are bold enough to reach out and take it, without hesitation or question. Those who snatch it, are the ones that more often than not manage to achieve more than just a simple goal, they rewrite the rules. These individuals with the power to rewrite the rules are fearless, and usually enjoy greatly the power which courses through the veins, a reminder of just who they are. The afternoon progressed rapidly, there was a flurry of house guests slipping through the expansive halls of the Gaunt Estate, each of them demanding an explanation to the statements which had been released through the many papers, from around the world that had taken a sudden interest in the piece. Voices drifted through the house, some were shouts of irritation while others were genuinely confused. Yet, one level voice was heard, it was lush and smooth, it carried a tone of authority as it responded to each query and every demand.

All the while a pair of young wizards was left subject to one of Severus' few visits. Since the article's release Albus had been keeping a close eye on all the staff, especially on one wizard in particular, one of the only people trusted enough to enter the grounds of the Gaunt Estate unannounced, Severus. The Potion Master had been through a great ordeal to simply visit over the weekend, prior to the article he was free to do as he pleased, yet after its released it became far more challenging to leave the grounds of the castle. The sound of flames licking the bottom of cauldrons echoed in the potion's lab, the light of the afternoon sun had caused a number of charmed candles to flicker to life, offering more light to the darker corners of the laboratory. The click and scrape of several daggers was heard as well as the grinned of a mortar and pestle.

The scent of poppies and dragon fruit flesh swept through the room. Poppies were a powerful potion ingredient, if too much was added to the potion it caused the potion to become addictive and in a sense would cause the user to lose themselves, yet just a pinch would make a powerful respite from both pain and emotion. Poppies were in many ways the flowers of fleeting escape, for the flower itself would only be in bloom for a single day, a sea of red in a meadow, only for their leaves to fall the very next transforming it into a barren wasteland. While there were many varieties of poppy, the one which was the most difficult to purchase and powerful was that of  _Papaver somniferum_  also known as Opium Poppies.

At Hogwarts it was forbidden to stock and use such ingredients, since teenagers tended to get into trouble and fall into the temptation of abusing the powerful ingredient, that and they were considered dark. It was the key ingredient to a number of dark potions, many were used to trap the victim in an endless sleep, to prevent them from escaping the realm of nightmares. The sweetness of exotic dragon fruits wrapped around him the potion master as he added several cubes to the pot, dragon fruit would be able to counteract some of the less desirable effects of the Poppy seeds, while the fruit on it's own was a superior antioxidant, it was also superb for suppressing addictive cravings.

Black eyes were fixed on the pot as a glass stirring rod moved around the rim, he could remember the very first time he had brewed the potion and sighed, it wasn't a fond memory. Like many of the memories which haunted the potion master it was one which caused him agony. Potion stained fingers dipped into the mortar and collected a pinch of the seeds, yet this wasn't what this was for, it wasn't to suppress or forget. Severus picked up a rare piece of blue amber, an ingredient which he had searched all over the world for. No this wasn't to forget, it was to remember all which was lost.

The poppy in the potion forced the drinker to relax and experience the memory without emotion, to numb the pain, while the dragon fruit countered the addictive effects. The blue amber dust, something he had spent many years researching and spent a great deal of money to obtain would provide clarity in a realm that wasn't clear in the mind. While the potion didn't force the drinker to remember, it allowed for a Legilimens to press past the high walls of the mind and bring for the memory, which had either been locked away by the owner, or conveniently misplaced by a caster.

The bright blue dust fell from the glass bowl and into the green waters, resulting in them turning black, it was the right shade. Severus stirred the cauldron counter clockwise as he counted backward. The potion slowly transformed into a unique shade of jade green, the scent was appealing in many ways and Severus had to suppress his own desire to consume the potion, this wasn't for him, this was for Tom. Severus felt two sets of eyes burning holes into him, of course the boys were curious.

The potions master turned the cauldron down, not it had to simmer for a week, undisturbed. He looked up to see silver and green eyes watching him curiously, Draco had always had an interest in potions even if he pretended he didn't. Harry had inherited his mother's abilities with charms and but shown a great aptitude for potions, it was natural to the boy. Severus had more than on one occasion admired Harry's intuitive nature for ingredients and the process required to craft a potion, it was unusual.

Severus crossed his arms and looked at the boys, before striding over to their benches. He had abandoned his billowing teaching robe and opted for a long sleeve shirt and pair of simple boots, his hair was tied back in a leather thong and he was far more relaxed. "Let's see," he mused as he walked over to the pair, he had asked them to work on dreamless sleep, it was rather advanced for them, considering most first years were still working on burn salves and boil creams. He slowly looked into each cauldron, they were both a signature purple, and he asked the pair, "Bottle it please," he said simply.

Draco and Harry pulled out identical glass flasks and with grace filled them with the vivid purple liquid. It was then he noticed that Harry's was a shade darker, he eyed the flasks before picking them up. He held it up to the light, it's clarity was different as well, it was slightly foggy, which was evidence of a powerful draught, something that shouldn't have been the result of the recipe he had given them. He had given them the directions to make a weaker version, he quickly turned his attention to Harry and asked, "What did you change?" he wasn't a fool, Harry's drought was at least nine times more powerful than the original brew.

Harry looked nervous and he replied softly, "The essence of the Mortius picked at their peak." Severus froze, this wasn't a simple sleeping draught, it was an advanced level narcotic, something that he used to produce for insomniacs. He slowly placed the flask on the table and looked Harry in the eye, "How did you prepare the flower, I only have the whole flower, complete with stem, I do not have the refined essence," he stated. He did technically but the ingredient was kept in a safe due to it's power, much like his poppies. Harry shifted uncomfortably and he looked over to see his godson watching Harry raptly.

"I stripped it, I took my blade and stripped the stem before grinding it down and then straining it," he replied. Severus gaze was harsh, that was certainly the proper procedure to produce it, "How much did you use?" he inquired, his tone was stern. Harry looked down at his bench and replied, "Five full flowers." Severus blinked, the Mortius was rare, very difficult to harvest and nearly impossible to maintain. He slowly lifted Harry's chin and asked, "Why that flower?"

Silence stretched between them, he knew full well what the flower did, he had used it so many times, he had to be certain Harry knew. "I had read about it in one of the books, it was said to educe a deep slumber that would trap someone in a large dose, however I believed if I added just a few drops and then used a measure of powdered ox bone, I would be able to counter act the lasting affect," he replied nervously. After all of the time Harry had spent with them, the boy was still terrified of angering them. The reasoning was sound and he knew from experience that ox bone would lessen the power of the Mortius, however there was a larger issue at hand.

Severus turned to Draco and asked, "What do you know of the flower?" The blond looked to Harry and then to Severus he was clearly confused, "Other than what he just said, nothing," replied the Malfoy scion genuinely. Severus drew a deep breath, it appeared he was going to have to broach a certain topic sooner than he had hoped. "Leave the potions, and follow me," he instructed the pair.

He was already striding across the room and glanced over his shoulder as he placed his hand on the door to his office. The pair looked to one another before slipping off the stools, he slowly pushed the glass door open and looked over the room. There were several soft chairs in the middle of the room as well as a chaise lounge and a massive rose wood desk, the walls themselves were lined with books. Harry and Draco looked around curiously, he could tell they were interested in his office, considering he never allowed them inside of it. It wasn't that he distrusted them, it was more that he wanted to ensure they didn't stumble across anything dangerous for the time being, however despite all his efforts Harry seemed to have done just that.

Severus turned to the pair who were standing side by side, their hands clasped behind their backs awaiting his instruction. He leaned against his desk as he commanded, "Sit, we are about to have a discussion that I had been hoping would occur later." Draco and Harry settled into the black velvet wing-back chairs and he stared at the floor for a moment, looking for the proper way to begin a topic that he didn't even cover in Advanced Potions, for fear of what the parents would do.

His dark eyes landed on the pair, he noticed they were watching him like hawks, and he smirked a little. At least he had their attention. "Magic is neutral, it is neither black nor is it white, it only turns one of those colors when casted and the reason behind the casting," he began, knowing Tom had discussed this with them, "potions ingredients are the same." He looked at the pair and noticed a look of utter confusion after he had stated that ingredients are the same as magic, it didn't surprise him, in both the Malfoy estate and Gaunt estate light magic and dark arts mingled in the libraries. It was possible to find bright white books shelved beside the pitch black, both families were more concerned about knowledge it's self than the interpretation of it, it was why most feared them.

Severus drew a deep breath before continuing, "There are ingredients available to you here which many would never allow their children near, let alone use themselves. The Mortius flower as well as the Opium Poppy and others are such ingredients. The Opium Poppy due to it's addictive and hallucinogenic nature when abused and the Mortius for a different reason entirely.

"The Mortius flower is only able to grow in a special net work of caves in Germany, this system is rich in copper and shale, two articles which allow the flower to flourish. Unlike most flowers it requires the dark and will only open it's petals in the moon light, it's peak," he explained as he pushed away from the desk and with the wave of his hand a map appeared to the side where he gestured to the approximate location of the caves, "What makes it dark is the fact that while it is able to educe a powerful sleep, in small doses in larger doses the same flower will seal the drinker in a coma, when a draught is brewed using the entire stem."

There was a gasp and he looked over to see Harry beginning to panic, "Sir, I didn't mean to, the book said it was just a deep sleep." Severus stared as the boy trembled and immediately strode over to him, "Harry," he whispered as he placed a hand on the unruly mop of brown hair the boy called hair. The young wizard pulled his knees to his chest, a position Seveurs knew all too well from his own childhood and without hesitation he wrapped his arms around the boy and closed his eyes, willing his own pain to disappear. A small hand was placed on his back and Seveurs looked up to see Draco standing beside him, silver eyes shining with concern for the pair of them. Somewhere along the way Draco had picked up his father's kindness and habit of reading people, a gift which would have to be guarded at school.

"'m sorry," Harry whispered and Severus gave the boy a squeeze. He felt his own heart ache, knowing that as a child he was the little boy in the chair, only instead of a hug he received a beating. "Shhh… I know you didn't, it's alright, I will never harm you. Certainly not after the knowledge you displayed," he stated sternly, he would never raise a hand to a child after what his own father had done. It had taken Severus years to allow others to touch him, Lily had been the one who attempted but learned early on that it was a long road. The child in his arms slowly calmed and Severus lifted his chin to look into vivid green eyes, Lily's eyes. "Better?" he asked gently.

The young wizard nodded and Severus hummed as he looked to Draco who was still hovering, "Draco?" he asked when he noticed a gleam of determination in the scion's eyes. The blond shook his head and said, "Later." Severus hummed knowingly, there was something the scion wished to speak to him about and he had a feeling it was about Harry. The potion master slowly rose from his position on the floor and continued, "The Mortius may also be made into a poison when its petals are crossed with Wolf bane and Dragons blood. This poison is lethal and will kill it's drinker in less than an hour when brewed properly."

Both boys settled in their seats and he watched as they took notes, knowing they were writing down these facts simply for their own sake. "There are a great number of ingredients which are prohibited from Hogwarts," he stated and realized they would ask about them, "I will bring a booklet of prohibited ingredients as well as other items my next visit. I do not agree with all the ingredients on the list, however there are a select few which I do. You're task will be to learn all of them on the list and tell me which are the most dangerous," he replied. He wasn't about to allow them to make the same mistake, he couldn't, it would put them in danger. Oddly the boys didn't question him, instead they replied, "Yes Professor."

In many ways he wanted to introduce a class on dark potion's ingredients, far too many students had fallen pray to ingesting them, coming in contact with them, and even misusing them. A class on safety as well as their use would certainly benefit the students of the school and put his mind at ease before he sent them off into the world. However, he knew all too well that Albus would never allow such a class, it would be deemed training for Death Eaters, rather than a necessity. Even if he had broached the topic with Lucius, the Malfoy Lord wouldn't be able to grant him permission.

"Sir, if I may," Draco began and Severus nodded, "Why were you using Opium Poppies before?" The potion master sighed, and shook his head, of course the Malfoy noticed, it was the price he paid for being friends with such attentive wizards and witches. "It was for a draught for Tom, he needs to remember something and Poppies are one of the ingredients," he replied honestly, there was no point in shrouding the truth, they would simply lurk about to learn it on their own.

He had made it impossible for them to meddle after stating it was for Tom, the Master of the house, and that it was important, meaning don't touch. "Questions?" he asked. Both boys shook their heads and he continued with the impromptu lecture, enjoying every minutes of teaching the boys the more advanced and delicate side to the art of potions.

~~WL~~

Pages fluttered to the floor as envelope after envelope was opened, each of them voicing their opinions on a matter that seemed to cause waves in not only England but the US and Europe as well. Ruby red eyes danced with glee as they slipped over the pages, taking in the worlds penned by admirers hoping that with enough force that some how their quills would stab Albus to death. A chuckled left the curved lips of the young Lord who was currently standing before a window, the letter loosely between his fingers. There were piles of them in his study, to the point that a majority of the house elves of the Estate had taken to sorting them into bins based on the name of the sender as well as their location in alphabetical order. He tossed the letter to the side and leaned against the wall, Albus had yet to make his move, and it irritated him. He didn't like to be kept waiting, and time was of the essence, unless this was in fact Albus' move.

The Lord crossed his arms as he glared out the window at an unsuspecting tree. Albus was always going to be difficult, especially when it involved something he didn't approve of, and Tom was certainly at the top of that list. With the flick of his Yew wand a chess set made of glass and silver appeared on the table, his eyes floated over to it to see the pieces were in their same places, waiting for the next move. "Come now Albus, don't be a spoil sport and make your move, it's no fun if you don't," he taunted the un-hearing board as though the opponent could hear him. There was a scrape his eyes fell on a knight leaving it's post and trotting to it's newly acquired place. He grinned, he knew the old wizard wouldn't keep him waiting.

There was a call and he looked up to see a Falcon flying into the room, it was that of Flitwick and he stared, the Charms Professor wasn't supposed to be the next tool. "Hang on," he remarked as he collected the letter from the birds' talon and pulled a treat out a small dish for the majestic bird, which accepted it with gusto. He quickly opened the letter and noticed how the falcon had yet to leave, and shrugged, obviously it desire to hear his reply. Flitwick's penmanship was tight and small, but no where near the level of Severus' tight and spidery penmanship, which more often than not resulted in him searching for a magnifying glass.

> _Lord Marvolo Gaunt,_
> 
> _We cordially invite you to the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry, you have expressed a great deal of interest in our school and we would be delighted to show you more. I realize that the Headmaster is traditionally responsible for all correspondence with potential Sponsors and Professors, however, he was against this decision._
> 
> _As the staff we have taken it upon ourselves to contact you, we have a duty to the students and believe that you will be more than adequate in the post._
> 
> _Sincerely,_
> 
> _Professor Minerva McGonagall_
> 
> _Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_
> 
> _Head of Gryffindor House_

Tom stared in shock at the letter, it wasn't from the Charms Master, but from McGonagall, that was interesting. Perhaps he did have supporters on both sides of the fense considering she had always been a supporter of Albus. He quickly pulled a sheet of black paper and his pot of vivid emerald green ink. With grace he penned his reply, knowing full well that the sincerity in his selection of material to respond with would be enough of a indicator as to how important it was.

A smile curled his lips, like many things, the very parchment a letter was written on could indicate the level of sincerity of the sender as well as their desires. By selecting the ink black parchment and emerald green ink, not only did he stated that he was sincere about his desire but also that he was honored to have received such a letter. The green ink was vivid and indicated his blood line, he wasn't about to insult his ancestor who was a founder of the school. He signed his name at the bottom of the letter before slipping the sheet into a emerald green envelope with a black liner and sealing it with a vivid silver ribbon. He held the envelope out to the Falcon and watched as the bird held it's leg out. It was well behaved, however not as good as his owl.

He fastened it to the birds leg and allowed it to climb on his arm. He left the study and walked through the halls only to hear a whistle. "What a handsome creature, Osiris will be envious," stated Lucius and he snickered, Lucius was always one to remark on gorgeous things, including women which oddly Narcissa would also contribute. He could still remember the first time he had seen the pair looking at witches and judging them, they were so comfortable with one another that they often chatted about the appearance of others. "It's Flitwicks," he replied as he swept through the hallway. Luicus was at his side and kept up with him effortlessly.

Lucius was dressed entirely in black and from the looks of it he was relaxing he didn't wear the embellishments he traditionally did to court, which meant he had no reason to regale him as a solicitor. The blond stretched his arms over his head lazily, resulting in several pops from his spine. "You look tired," Tom remarked as they rounded the corner. Lucius was silent but he knew all too well that the silence was an agreement. "I have been working on procuring Harry's guardianship for you," he began and sighed in frustration, "Albus is blocking me at every turn. Even if you claim him as your protégé, it isn't enough. Albus is still able to make decisions on the boy's well being."

Apparently that was Albus' move, "He is claiming the Felix and Finch act, which states that a minor who has been removed from an abusive situation shall fall into the custody of the guardian who has been named the responsible party by the last will and testament of their biological parents," he explained, and immediately Tom growled, there was no way in hell he was on those pages. He was the Dark Lord, who was responsible for the deaths of James and Lily Potter, for his name to be on the documents was impossible, even in his elaborate rouse as Marvolo Gaunt.

"That is an issue, doesn't the Sanctuary Clause prevent such a thing?" he asked keenly. Law wasn't Tom's strong point, which was what he relied on Luicus for. The Malfoy shook his head, "No, unfortunately the Felix and Finch Act of 1763 supersedes the Sanctuary Clause after the case Black vs. the Ministry of 1763." Tom looked at the blond curiously who naturally launched into explanation, "In the case the house of Black was charged with abuse when their son was discovered to have cuts up his arms, at the time self inflicted injuries were unheard of in court. The Ministry moved to have the boy removed from the House of Black and placed with the Weasleys. However, the Blacks argued that they were not responsible for the injuries, that they had in fact nothing to do with the parental practices of the family. When they were unable to convince the court other wise, after the Lady of the house was found locking the boy in the closet, Lord Black called for the guardianship to change to the Lestranges, rather than Weasleys. After all they had been named the godparents of the child."

Lucius and Tom turned the corner, and the Dark Lord began to descend the stairs with an air of elegance, Lucius clasped his hands behind his back before continuing, "The result was devastating, the boy was placed with the Weasely's since the Lestranges were not considered worthy. The Black heir committed suicide, resulting in the Lord of the house turning to one of his brothers to carry the line," Lucius explained and Tom suddenly stared at him in shock, he knew wizards were unaccustomed to such behavior but their lack of foresight in this instance was alarming. "As it turned out Lord Lestrange had been the one to submit in the inquiry and agreed to provide haven for the boy should anything occur, however under the Sanctuary Clause, since the Weasley's had been the ones to take the boy in temporarily while the case occurred because Lord Lestrange was away, they would gain custody," he elaborated, the case sounded as though it were a nightmare, "As a result the Lords and Ladies of Wizengmont superseded the Sanctuary Clause with an act named after two victims of the same fate. Four years before Black vs. the Ministry of Magic, another case had occurred, thus it was named the Felix and Finch Act."

Silence wrapped around them, not even the falcon made a sound as Tom paused before the doors, giving the boys who had died a moment of respect. Life lost, especially before it even had a chance to begin would always be a tragic thing. "I understand," he stated as he pushed the doors open, "Is there nothing that allows me to appeal?" he asked as they stepped into the late afternoon sun. Despite the sun's warmth a chill set into the bones of the Dark Lord. They began to walk through the grounds, the Falcon remained purchased waiting until they were at the appropriate released point.

Lucius was quiet, and he could tell the Solicitor was searching for an answer, only the silence had already stated that their wasn't. "No, unless you have evidence to suggest that you are his family. If you can prove you are his family then there is now way they can take him from you, in fact you automatically become his guardian," Luicus explained as he looked thoughtfully at the trees. Tom ran his fingers over the stiff feathers of the Falcon, missing the company of Osiris, "Slight issue, we aren't related, the Potter's and Gaunts aren't related to one another even in the slightest. They were the only two families that never inter married, and I would certainly know if I had the blood of a Potter in me," he stated.

Luicus huffed and slipped his hands into his pockets as he stepped over a stone, "You think I don't know that? I know the chances are slim to none and such evidence can't be falsified," he stated. Albus had certainly made his move, and Tom growled in frustration causing the Falcon to tremble. He gave the bird a rather apologetic look, "There is no one we can buy?" he asked. Luicus slipped his fingers through his hair and asked, "Did you think I didn't try that method first. Believe it or not when it comes to the custody of Potter, they are reluctant to cut corners, no matter how much is offered." This fact sickened Tom, he knew of dozens of cases where the Ministry had returned children to their parents after being paid a large amount to turn the other cheek. The reached the point and he looked to the golden eyed Falcon.

Tom slowly extended his arm and gently lifted it, resulting in the Falcon in releasing his arm and flying in the direction of his master. "Lucius, do not stop looking, I will not allow Albus to harm either of our charges. He hasn't made a move against you has he?" The blond solicitor shook his head as he pivoted and began walking back to the house, "No, I am worried when he does though, I can't lose them," he whispered weakly. Tom placed a hand on the man's shoulder and pulled him into his side. He could feel the other Lord stiffen before relaxing, "I won't allow that, you are family Lucius, you have given me so much, I won't allow him to harm you," he stated with conviction. Lucius nodded as he gently pulled away, "Of course."

The pair continued through the elaborate gardens of the estate, each of them were tended by hand picked staff, he had a combination of muggle plants as well as a full garden of rare potions ingredients that was often tended to by Severus. "Tom, no matter what you have to promise me something, you have to kick Albus out of his position," Lucius stated sternly causing the Lord to stare at Luicus in shock. He thought the man's request would be to protect his family, instead Lucius was asking for him to destroy Albus. "We can't do it without you Tom, and I know you could bury him," Luicus stated sternly his voice was dark and filled with malice, "You may be gentle with Harry and Draco but under that skin is the ruthless Dark Lord that made the world quake. If something happens beyond our control, destroy Albus so no one else is ever subjected to his manipulations."

Tom stopped and turned to face the blond. He could sense the waves of irritation slamming into him, he couldn't ignore him as he felt Nangini wrap around his leg and slowly slither up him. The grand snake was probably out hunting and absently he stroked her head, "Nothing will happen to you, and I refuse to return to being such a creature Lucius," he stated, "I won't turn into that. I will however, protect you and your family as well as our loved ones. I will stop at nothing until the task is done, but my days of making the world fear me are over," he explained, "I don't wish to be feared, I want respect and the confidence of people that I am capable."

Lucius silver eyes widened at the declaration and Tom knew this was the first time he had seen this side of him. Months ago, before that Christmas Eve, he would have agreed, he would have blown the world apart. Even though he had felt Harry's pain and sent he abuse he would make Albus feel it. However, after spending time with the young scion he realized that wasn't the answer, the answer was to show the world who Albus was and allow them to be his judge and jury. Luicus nodded, his lips curled in a smile and he could tell that somehow he had pleased the blond.

A breeze swept off the ocean, ruffling the leaves of the trees, "It would appear that there is a schism between the beloved Headmaster and his staff, including the Deputy Headmistress," he stated after a moment. Instantly the blond was staring at him and asked, "What?" Tom smirked, he knew what his next move was, and Albus was about to experience quite the wake up call. "Yes, apparently I was informed that the staff would be more than glad to have me as a professor. I'm sure if the Board of Governors requested it in agreement of the staff they would have no choice but to accept my application for the post," he mused aloud, knowing full well that Lucius would swing everything he had for the Lord, although at the moment he didn't think there would be much convincing to be done considering most of Britain was on his side.

Lucius grinned with mirth before responding, "That I am certainly able to aid you with, Tom. Just allow me to handle it." Tom watched as the Malfoy Lord disappeared from sight and entered the house, he could tell the Malfoy was off to execute his plan and it certainly wasn't going to be too difficult. Tom smiled as he looked to the sky and muttered, "Well then, that was only part one, now I must also respond to the generous request of the Deputy Headmistress and staff of Hogwarts, it would be rude to not visit," a grin curling his lips as he mused his next coarse of action.

He knew that caution was certainly something which was required if he were to win this match, but if he were to proceed to cautiously, he would miss the opportune moment to strike. Tom began to wander through the gardens his thoughts consuming him in stride. In reality, the only way to win the game with Albus was with optimal timing, moves and counter moves as Lucius dubbed it. While it was true that he was an avid chess player there was one issue that remained constant in this entire affair, unlike chess, real life allowed for an individual to make more than one move in a turn. Even though Albus had managed to block his attempts at adopting Harry through the appropriate channels, he could also have begun to cultivate notions against him in those few Lords who were uncertain of to whom they would place their loyalties with. The fault wasn't theirs, for the past few decades the political arena had been turbulent, so much so, that in sight of all previous events Lords were self serving rather than serving the communities.

Tom slipped through the double doors and began to walk across the green house, Narcissa was tending to her prized orchids with a great deal of care, caressing their petals as she went. "You are scheming again, Tom," she said softly as she lifted the tip of her wan and blessed yet another vivid orchid with the gift of water. The Lord paused in his long strides and turned his attention to the elegant Lady of the Malfoy House, it was difficult to believe she was even related to the Blacks with how sound she was. "Forgive me, my Lady, I was unaware it would disturbed the fauna," he replied with a smirk.

Narcissa chuckled as she turned to him, rubbing her hands together, which were lightly coated with planting soil, as always she was tending to her prized orchids personally. She never allowed a House Elf near them, and many of them had learned to accept her wishes and complied with her rules. "It is not the fauna which you have insulted," she replied in the same mocking drawl he had used, "My husband has just rushed through here on a mission, and won't tell me what it entails." Tom hummed as he stood before the elegant lady, knowing full well she was asking him to divulge his secrets nicely, or might resort to force – Nanginig nagging him. "Harry's custody is in the wind and I have Lucius searching for an answer as well as the Charter, I am concerned that I might have given him too much," he confessed as he looked at the floor with sudden interest, he didn't wish to see the irritation in those pale gray eyes possessed by the matriarch.

Narcissa sighed, "Lucius is more than capable of both, Tom. He's a brilliant solicitor, and I dare admit one of the best in Britain, and I don't say that because he is my husband," she replied as she took a step closer to the Dark Lord, who at the moment wasn't nearly as imposing as he used to be. She watched as crimson eyes flickered up and a softer expression crossed his features, concern. "I don't want him hurt, I will protect all of you from Albus, I just don't want Albus to harm anyone else," he admitted as he swept his hand through his hair, destroying his choir-boy-part, as Narcissa had deemed it in the past. Narcissa nodded in understanding, of course she held no malice toward him, he had been working diligently to save a pair of young wizards.

"Tom, these things take time," she replied soundly, "Lucius is good, but he's not that good. Once the Charter is found we will be able to deal with Albus once and for all." While the notion was what he expected to hear, it wasn't what he wanted to hear, necessarily. He sighed before sprawling on one of the wooden benches rather unceremoniously, "I know, I'm worried. I am going to take the position at Hogwarts but I wonder if I'm playing into the old codger's hands," he stated, voicing opinions he would never speak of to Lucius, as much as he trusted the Lord, Malfoy had a tendency to over-react.

A deep voice emulated from the door way remarking, "If you accept the post you'll be under his nose and that is where he is the most blind," Tom turned his head to see Severus leaning in the doorway, he was wrapped in a dark gray sweater and wore a pair of light jeans. Tom arched a brow and Severus replied, "The boys finished their potion's lesson and are currently in the library reading about dangerous ingredients." That captured Tom's interest instantly and he waved for the Potion master to continue. Severus sighed as he slouched a little, the stress was taking its toll on the wizard and it irritated Tom to see Severus in such a state. "Harry brewed a very powerful sleeping draught, he used the Mortius flower's essence to complete it," he replied evenly.

A gasp left Narcissa and Tom sat up at attention, Harry had shown an inclination to the dark arts, and his intuition when it came to potions rivaled Severus' but for the boy to use a dangerous ingredient that was considered dark to enhance a sleeping draft was a very different issue. "Have you lectured them on the use of ingredients that are dark?" he asked quickly. Severus nodded, "It is a lecture that isn't given to students but should be," he said tartly. Of course it was an essentially lesson that once again wasn't allowed to be taught in Hogwarts, then again even during his time it was not. "I see, how are they?" asked Narcissa after a pause.

Severus' dark gaze shifted to the witch and he replied with sincerity, "Both are safe, I have locked away the drafts and went through my cupboards, I was going to secure dangerous ingredients away from them only to realize that wouldn't be conducive to their education." Narcissa looked horrified and Tom immediately understood Severus' logic, she was about to lash out when Seveurs continued, "How are they to understand that they exist and how they are used if they are not seen in the lab?"

She fell silent, and then murmured, "They can't."

Tom hummed, this was certainly something that would have to be Incorporated into the curriculum at Hogwarts. They didn't need anyone else making terrible mistakes about such ingredients. "Indeed, so I handled it. Harry was a bit upset but seems alright," he said with a slight amount of regret. Harry was still scared they would harm him and Tom shivered, it was one of the many things that made Tom, Severus and Harry closer, they had all been abused. "Is Nangini with them?" Tom asked, knowing that the snake would provide some solace to the boy. Severus nodded, and Tom smiled, of course his familiar had gone to the boy.

He could still remember the conversation he had with the serpent in December, right after the boy had been brought to Malfoy Estate and he decided that he would do anything to protect the child. He had instructed Nangini to offer comfort and protect Harry when he was unable to, it was a tall order and his familiar was reluctant at first, she had always considered it her responsibility to protect him. Yet, now she understood that the best way to protect her beloved master was to protect Harry. There had been many nights where he found the snake curled up with Harry in bed, protecting the boy even in his dreams. Of course she would also come to him and spend time with him once Harry was deep in his sleep, but was always aware when the boy had a nightmare and required to be roused.

Draco wasn't as scared of Nangini as before, but still didn't like waking Harry, Nangini wasn't much of a morning snake, that would never change.

The potion master swept into the room with his usual silent grace and stood before Tom, "Minerva contacted me, she has asked that I inform you she would be more than happy to host you and whom ever you desire to bring with you on your inspection of the school. It's odd, I don't remember her having such power," Severus mused as he crossed his arms and glared at Tom, he was in trouble, again. Tom crossed his legs and replied, "Yes, I thought it would be good for Draco and Harry to have a chance to meet their future professors, as well as introduce myself as more than just a Lord." Severus groaned as he tipped his head back with frustration, his hands sliding over his neck, it was probably sore from looking down at cauldrons for extended periods.

Tom got off the bench and placed a hand on Severus' shoulder, he could feel the tension in them and had to restrain himself from offering the overworked man a massage. It was part of the Potion Master's duties to brew for the infirmary as well as teach students and work on research projects to procure grants and fame for the school. However, this when added to what he had been asking of the man was far too great of a burden. "Severus, what concerns you?" he asked softly, his fingers moving in a circle on the man's shoulder, offering a modicum of relief.

Dark eyes opened and the man's facial features relaxed, suddenly the raven haired potion master looked far too old. "I'm uncertain if this is a good idea, I know it is the best position to be in to deal with Albus, but what will happen if the students learn who you are?" he asked after a moment. Of course Tom had thought of such an event, he wasn't even sure how to handle it when Harry learned of his identity, he had given up on assuming it might not occur and realized regardless it would happen, it was all a matter of when. "Then we hope that by that time the students and parents recognize who the ture monster is," he replied. Severus sagged and Tom asked, "Would you like me to give you a massage, you're too tense and might mess up a potion in this state, I don't want to have to air out your lab again," his tone was light but his fear wasn't.

Severus was capable of saddling a great deal of stress, but that wasn't healthy. The Potion Master hummed and asked, "Only my shoulders?" Tom huffed, of course Severus was nervous, they had kissed in the past and while the Dark Lord desired to do it once again, he didn't want to force Severus. The man had to come to terms on his own, now the reason why he was hesitant eluded him. Everything else with Severus was direct, on point, and never a dance around the proverbial bush, yet this, them, it wasn't as direct. He had a feeling it wasn't just their positions, there had to be more.

Tom smirked as he leaned forward and whispered, "I'd do more if you asked, Sev. All you have to do is relax and let me work." Severus' heart was pounding and he could hear the Potion Master inhale, a shiver coursed through the dark man's body and Tom smirked, he knew he was charming, of course he was aware of that, but the question was if Severus would allow himself to fall even harder. His red eyes glittered as Severus responded, "Only my shoulders and back," he stated. Tom huffed in disappointment, and decided that touching only that would be enough, he would wait, as long as he had to for Severus to give in and admit he wanted him. "Alright," Tom whispered as he ran his fingers over Severus' arms, the sweater was extraordinarily soft and he recognized it as one of the many gifts he had given Severus over the years. It made him happy to see the Potion Master wearing it, and he had a feeling the man before him had no idea.

"Meet me in my chambers," replied the Potion Master with a thick voice before slipping away from Tom and striding out of the Solarium. Narcissa chuckled causing Tom to remember she was there, his head snapped in her direction and noticed a rather devious smirk on her lips. She knew, there was no denying it, women and their intuition were dangerous. "You love him," she stated, it was a fact and he wasn't about to deny it. Tom nodded and replied, "Yes, I'm not sure when it started but I do love him." Narcissa smiled warmly as she clasped her hands before her. "Good, because we all know he needs someone. Luicus and I have known for a while and we approve, just be careful," she warned.

Tom stared at her curiously, she knew something, "Why?" he asked darkly, he didn't like being left in the dark. She sighed reluctantly, as she replied, "That you must ask Severus, I can't tell you, but I will tell you, that when you had died he did things that no wizard has attempted an succeeded before, save one," she paused and looked at the doorway nervously, "Amar Hashish, the Potion Master which hangs in the Southern Corridor along the windows, speak with him. He can tell you," she explained.

The dark lord was torn between speaking with the portrait and doing as Severus requested, only to give into Severus and smiled. "Later, I have a potion Master to rub down," he mused. Narcissa laughed as she watched the Lord trot off after the man he had just admitted to his closest friends he loved. Lucius strode past Tom into the solarium and asked, "What's gotten into him?" he pointed at the place where Tom had been and Narcissa chuckled. "Pay up, he loved him and told me first," as she held her hand out.

Lucius groaned and tugged at his hair before responding, "What? Come on! Fine," he grumbled. He crossed his arms much like a petulant child when denied a treat, "Here," he relented as he handed her a handful of Galleons. Narcissa clapped with glee only for Lucius to say, "However I have a new wager, I bet it will take Tom an entire year to confess to Severus." Narcissa licked her lips and suddenly looked torn between gallivanting off and rubbing it in his face he had lost, and participating in this new wager. She grinned as she stuffed the coins in his hand, "Fine, I wager it will take him half that time to confess and get Severus to admit it."

Lucius grinned, "You're on."

~~WL~~

Harry left the library as Draco was asleep, he needed to stretch he felt cramped from sitting too long. The halls twisted as Harry looked at the portraits on the walls. Each of them were chatting with one another, and seemed to ignore him. He sighed, of course he was ignored he wasn't a Gaunt, he was a Potter. He walked down the hallway only to find the wall of glass doors, that were always open. It was one of his favorite spots in the entire house. He paused before a pair of massive frames, only to see one of the vacant and the other with a young man sitting in what he assumed was meditation.

"I know you're there Harry," said the portrait's owner, his eyes flickered open, they were bright green the same as Harry's. He jumped back as he watched the man slowly sifted and stand before Harry, his expression was soft as he looked at the boy. "Yes, I know who you are, Salazar informed us," he stated as he clasped his hands before himself. Harry looked up at the dark skinned man, he was regal and rather handsome, he reminded Harry of one of the many dancers from Tom's enormous gala. "Oh, um forgive me but who are you?"

The man chuckled as he sat on the floor of his portrait, it was odd to see a portrait be considerate to the viewer, then again something told Harry, the man in the painting wasn't like the others. "I'm Amar Hashish, I'm Alcester's husband," he said warmly. Harry's eyes widened as he looked to the empty frame that Amar had nodded to. "Husband? Two wizards can marry?" he asked in great confusion. This was the first time he had heard of such an occurrence, he was accustomed to the prejudice of like someone of the same gender. Amar nodded and replied gently, "Of course, if they are compatible. Alcester and I married centuries ago, but due to our titles have separate frames." Harry slowly took a seat on the floor and looked up at Amar who was smiling.

The man took it as a subtle hint to continue and so he did, "I'm a prince and Potion Master from a small village in India, I created a number of potions which are still used today. Alcester was the first Archivist, as well as one of the most influential inventors of objects and spells," he explained. Harry nodded, he hadn't heard of them, but he had a feeling they were in a book in the expansive Guant library. "Why are you wandering? You should be studying," asked Amar and Harry sagged slightly. He should have known that any portrait in the house of Gaunt would be keen on his studies.

Harry peaked up and replied softly, "I needed a break, I couldn't focus. I kept thinking about what happened today." Amar waited patiently, his green eyes never leaving Harry, and suddenly the young wizard felt trapped by his gaze, "I used the Mortius flower to enhance a sleeping draft, to make it last longer and the sleep more beneficial," he explained. Amar's expression brightened at the mention of the ingredient and leaned forward slightly, "Did it work?" he asked quickly. Harry snapped out of his thoughts and stared at the portrait.

"No idea, I didn't get a chance to test it, Uncle Sev, lectures us on dangerous ingredients and those considered Dark," he stated as he twisted his hands, "I understand he means well and didn't want to upset me, but I just feel like the wizarding world's view is too narrow! Everything is dangerous in large quantities," he seethed. Not caring that he was ranting at one of the prestigious members of the Gaunt house. All he wanted to do was scream, "That's not all is it?" asked Amar knowingly.

Harry crossed his arms and looked over the rims of his glasses at the Potion Master who was smiling. "No, Draco got his Hogwarts letter, and I haven't heard anything about mine," he grumbled. That was the root of the issue and Amar hummed as he shifted slightly leaving one leg against the floor and bending his knee so his arm could rest upon it. He leaned his head into his palm and continued, "You're worried you won't get in. Don't, if you could make such leaps at your age with a potion, they would be idiots to not accept you." Harry shrugged as he played with the hem of his robe, "Yeah, but what if they don't?"

Harry didn't want to be separated from Draco, even though the blond was adamant about attending school with Harry, he also didn't want to hinder him. "Hadrian, listen, you will get in, you must really. Especially with who you are, are you certain you aren't a Gaunt?" Harry looked up and shook his head, allowing Amar's words to wash over him. Amar chuckled and shook his head, "You are so much like Alcester, don't worry, you'll get in. Have faith," he commented.

Faith, that was something Harry had only recently acquired and he nodded. He didn't know how powerful it was, and hoped that somehow he would be able to do as Amar said he could. "Tell me more about your potion," nudged the Potion Master and Harry chuckled.

Of course he wanted to know and so Harry and Amar had a long conversation about potion ingredients, unbeknownst to them that a certain Lord was lingering in the hallway, smiling at the exchange knowingly.

 


	17. Cast Stones and their Ripples

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom muses about how he learned his past through the eyes of a beaten and broken little boy trapped inside a man who is all too afraid to allow anyone in. As he give's Severus a message he falls into a memory that he hadn't gotten from Severus and falls into a seizure. He manages to pull out of it, however it leaves far more confusion than anything else. 
> 
> Harry and Draco are cleaning out a storage room, only to come across something long forgotten in the old house. While Draco is terrified of this discovery, Harry takes to it and ends up being one of the few with talent for a particular type of magic that runs in the Gaunt line. There is a greater game than both Tom and Dumbledore can imagine as two players seem to appear. The truth is they have no idea what the rules are, or just who is playing it. 
> 
> Albus attempts to cut Tom out of the picture only to find himself worse off than before as Tom pulls out his latest trump card.

The body is a temple for the mind and how individuals treat it is considered to be a reflection of their minds, at least this was what Tom had always observed. It was rare that the state of the body and mind did not match or hold similar scars, those few cases were ones in which he spent hours pouring over to determine the true difference between one case and the next. There were those who did not hold the power to protect their bodies, but the evidence of this battle to do so was still present and manifested physically and mentally. Scars told as many stories as a single glance for those who were skilled enough to read them, or at least that was what Tom had believed before he met Severus. No one would ever realize just what was under those black teaching robes which cloaked him in a perpetual aura of solemnity, not even he knew. For years, Tom had attempted to get Severus out of his robes, not to humiliate him, or even sleep with him, but to assist the man in healing. There were many ways to heal the skin but too few to heal the mind, even when mind healers worked with a wizard there were scars too deep even for them to work with.

Unfortunately, fate had been cruel to Severus, her wicked sense of humor had plunged the man more than once into a world of pain. There is a place inside every wizard where they hide the things they hold most dear, and the weapons that are frequently used for self-flagellation. Strong arms crossed over the chest of Marvolo as he strode through the hallways of his grand estate, he was surprised to see Severus even interested in removing his clothing. He had sent Nagini away as he climbed the stairs, the serpent was interested in seeing this, however Tom didn't want Severus to retreat, this was the first time he had ever seen the potions master agree to do something that may impact his privacy. Severus had taken to hiding from the world in many ways, not only did he run from the spotlight whenever his skills were thrust into the much-deserved limelight in the Potions Master Community, but even at Hogwarts he kept to the shadows, it was as though he was still afraid of allowing people in.

Tom shook his head, he knew better, Severus was terrified of being ridiculed, of being persecuted for being something other than the bat of the dungeons. The Lord swept around the corner, his robes whispering behind him and the portraits watched with curiosity as he walked toward the chambers of the potion master in question. He could understand Severus' fear in Hogwarts, there were many who did not accept a Slytherin being brave and desiring to help others, but in this house, in the house of Lord Marvolo Gaunt, the rightful heir of Slytherin, it would not pass. This place was a sanctuary where snakes could disarm themselves and allow themselves time to bask in the warmth of the sun without the fear of being harmed. Slender fingers swept over the glassy top of a mahogany table as he walked through, they slid with grace as he turned yet another corner, his mind playing over the harsh images of Severus' life.

He knew some of the man's pain, only because he had invaded the man's mind one night. It was strange, he still remembered it after all the time he had been submerged in dreams. He had known he was at the Potter house, he remembered reading the edition of the paper that told the event. Yet, he had no recollection of the act, instead he had the memory of floating before gasping for air as it forced itself into his lungs. It was as though he had reemerged from the darkness and was dragged into the light once more, forced to return to continue on. His very essence had felt as though someone had bound it together tightly, pulling at the shards to ensure that it stayed together. Everything snapped together as he was forced away from the bliss of unknowing and foist into a loud world, his body yanking to attention as though he had been jolted by electricity.

Tom ran his fingers through his hair as he paused in the hallway when he woke he could remember the smell of cinnamon and lilies. At that time, when his red eyes had just opened the world was new, it was different in an odd way, and he himself couldn't remember who he was. In fact, he didn't know who he was, it was blank, his life had vanished and the only one who knew it was telling him to slowly sit up and placing a hand on his bare chest. He could remember the look of relief as well as exhaustion in Severus' brown eyes and how his hair had been tied back, his frock coat was gone leaving the lean Potion Master in a white and crimson shirt. He could still remember the brilliant crimson blossoms, from whose blood he did not know and was never told.

The calloused and stained hands that came toward him quivered as though they were left on a tree in the middle of a storm. Dark bruises were under his red eyes, they were rimmed with unshed tears, making the usually cold man appear far more human. He watched with interest as Severus whispered, "Thank Merlin," his tears falling as he did so and strong calloused hands slipping over his cheeks, as though they were checking to see if he were real. Tom was terrified at the time, he was unsure of where he was, who he was with, or even of who he was. To lose an identity is terrifying, simply because everyone has one, and it is then that an individual is left to drift.

Instantly Tom did what seemed natural, he leaped into Severus' mind, Tom cringed, he could only imagine the pain that had resulted from the hasty action. The memories he saw, they made him ill, some of them were of himself torturing the man who had saved him, others were of people he had never seen. He watched James hang Severus upside down and pull his trousers down before Lily, he had watched Severus lose her for good, destroying the only thing that anchored him to his life. Through the dark eyes of the man he had violated he learned what life was, harsh, cold and unforgiving, as he watched the young Severus cower in a corner while his father approached with a hot iron. He watched himself transform from a man who simply wanted to protect wizards and encourage those who believed they were powerless to excel and become powerful, into a monster.

The expression on Severus' face when he pulled out was twisted in agony, and sadness, it looked as though the man believed he had failed, Tom knew differently. That moment, he had learned more about who he wanted to be than all of the ones before the event. Tom Marvolo Gaunt Riddle knew who he was, who he would become and who he could be after that.

Bright red eyes fell on the doors of Severus' room, he noticed it was cracked, resulting in golden light slipping into the hallway. Hesitantly the Lord brought his hand up to the cherry wood door and tapped his knuckles against the hard surface. "Enter," called Severus, as Tom pushed the door open. Sitting on the bed with his back to the door was the man he thanked from that moment on for showing him the man he could be, the one he hoped he would be able to become. Severus' broad back faced him and he was wrapped in a white shirt, "Severus," Tom said softly as he approached the man with caution, he had learned that in some situations it was better to go slowly with him. Not even he knew what lie under those robes, and now he was going to see it. "My Lord," Severus replied dimly, resulting in Tom flinching, he did not desire for such a tone to be used with this encounter.

He continued to walk across the room until he was directly behind Severus, "Its Tom, Sev," he said softly. He hovered, uncertain if he still had permission to use the man's name or even touch him. "Tom," he amended, yet his face was masked, hidden from Tom's keen eyes. "May I?" he asked as he slowly reached for the shirt. Severus drew a deep breath, closing his eyes while doing so before slipping a hand near his collar and putting the shirt over his head. It slipped from strong hands and landed on the floor in a heap of white fabric. The plains of Severus back were covered in scars that earned a glare from Tom, they had no place on him. He didn't say a word, as he placed a reassuring hand on Severus' firm shoulder and said, "Lay back." Severus nodded mutely as he stretched out on the bed on his stomach, the white lattice work of scars and circular burns were painfully clear.

Tentatively the Lord swept his fingers of the longest and ugliest of them, it explained why Severus had been so quick to save Harry, to prevent another little boy from experiencing his pain. Severus tensed as soon as Tom touched him, it was apparent then that Severus had never received a kind touch, it was always harsh and painful. His fingers swept over it in a gentle caress, something he had never done, for anyone. With this man, the one he owed so much he would be gentle, he mentally vowed to never raise a hand to Severus. He pulled his hand back and quickly slipped out of his robe and jacket, he watched Severus intently, searching for any signs of duress, only to find none.

The dark green robe fell to the floor as did his charcoal suite jacket and he rolled up the sleeves of his pristine white shirt, his arms becoming more exposed as he did so. He paused when he looked down at the all too familiar scar running down the inside of his arm, a dreadful reminder of the day he vowed to rid the wizarding world of those who sought to destroy it through allowing the muggles to see it. Crimson orbs fell on Severus once more as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a glass bottle of an oil of his own creation. He had created it for personal use, it contained mint to suppress inflammation, lemon grass to ease the muscles, lavender to sooth the mind and a touch of cardamom to soften the skin, it wasn't difficult to make but he had found it helped when used over scars.

The golden liquid slipped from the bottle and fell on his palms, it was slick and cool to the touch, the scent of lavender hung in the air with a hint of mint. He placed the bottle on the table as he climbed on the bed and straddled Severus' back, he knew it was intimate, but it was also the best angle for him to reach the knots growing in his shoulders and down his spine. Tom rubbed his hands together lightly to warm them before slowly slipping them down the man's spine. He listened to Severus' breath hitch and felt the man's muscles coil, prepared to defend himself, it hurt Tom. He knew he wasn't always stable, but for the man he admired to be terrified of him hurt more than any dagger or torture curse ever could.

His fingers were strong but gentle as he pressed harder on the man's knots and began to knead them out. A sigh left Severus' lips as Tom worked and he felt the warmth of the other man under his hands. "Tom?" asked the Potion Master after a while, Tom believed he was nodding off and yet he had stayed conscious. "Yes?" he asked softly as he brushed his fingers over Severus' shoulder blades, they were tight due to the stance he assumed while brewing. "Do you think it's possible?" he asked. Tom hummed as he pressed into the curve of Severus' spine and into the man's lower back, earning him a hiss. "What?" he asked curiously as he slowly released pressure watched dark eyes flicker closed.

Severus looked over his shoulder his dark eyes boring into Tom, they held an emotion he hadn't seen in a long time, something that hadn't been kindled in decades, hope. "That we can win, that we will be free from this," he said softly. Freedom, Tom paused, he leaned back on his haunches, his hands resting on Severus' back lightly, as he looked at the man. To be free, truly free, so that he could walk the streets and use his name, his true name, and not have people run from him, to be free to do as he wished and protect the world from corrupt men like Albus Dumbledore. "No, I know it's possible," he stated firmly, he would do this for them, for Harry, for Severus, for all those harmed by people who wanted to control the world.

Tom slowly returned to the soothing motions of working his hands over Severus' skin, his fingers kneading the knots away, "I know it will, things will come together, Albus has made his mistakes and the next move is mine," he stated. Severus was silent and he watched the man's head fall into his pillows, a sigh leaving him. He gently ran his fingers over the rippled scars tissue, taking care to add extra oil in order to soften them. "Severus, we will protect Harry, even if I have to use rare magic to do so," he stated, in truth he already had, many of the charms wrapped around the boy were of his own creation. Severus fell silent once more and he could feel the business of the man's mind, it was abuzz. There was more in this line of questioning.

Severus looked over his shoulder to see the Lord grinning, "Tom, what is it you have planned, exactly?" Tom hummed as a smirk played on his lips, red orbs danced as he continued to release the many knots that covered Severus' back. "Something I know will annoy Albus," he stated, as always he was remaining cryptic and Severus glared. Tom sighed as he rolled his eyes, as always Severus was being difficult, "I'll give you a hint, it involves Wizengmont." Severus' mouth popped open, and Tom smiled deviously, he was planning on tossing Albus into the worst position and since he was currently the favorite he intended to use it as a weapon. Although he was curious about the magic and wondered if what Severus had found would do what he required.

"What is it?" Tom asked, attempting to coax more out of the man. Severus could keep a secret it was why he had asked the dower man to watch Albus, and tell him of the man's moves. "I heard whispers," he began and paused for a moment before continuing, "of magic that would give us an advantage, but it's dangerous and the risk is very great." Tom's fingers gently swept over Severus' shoulders and he hummed, his ears keen to learn more, but knowing Severus had to feel safe in order to open up to him. "There is rumor that the legacy crystals can do more than just display power," he stated, "I had come across it in a book, that they are something different." Tom now halted entirely, the crystals, very little was known of them, he was aware that they marked status, and they held knowledge, but other than that he knew little else.

He slowly slipped off Severus and asked, "Severus?" the Potion Master slowly rolled over, his eyes staring up at the ceiling and Tom's red eyes fell on the man's toned chest. He was well aware the Potion Master was strong, but he had no idea the dark robes hid the powerful arms and chest of the man before him. He didn't look like a Greek God by any standard, but he wasn't without either. There was a gentle wave as he slowly inhaled and exhaled, his dark eyes plastered on the ceiling above him as one of his arms rested behind his head. "I was reading in one of the older texts that the crystals had another purpose, something greater, but I couldn't find anything else. It's as though it were erased," he stated.

Tom was quiet, erased, something that could happen with a powerful Obliviate to the mind, but he had never heard of anything that could erase a physical trace from texts. "How so?" he asked as he looked at the man now lounging against the finest silks from China. Ink black hair slipped over the silver billow he was on, a brilliant contrast from it's lustrous color. "Simple, it mentions a power but stops there, several pages are blank and then a new chapter starts. It's as though it's been erased from the book, I checked others and it's the same," he explained. That wasn't possible, someone would have to remove it from each book, and that in its self was a challenge.

Severus sat up and sighed, as he slipped his hand through his hair only to remember being bare chested and quickly grabbed a shirt. Tom watched as the man slipped it over his head and with the grace of a cat slipped it in place. "Something that powerful, it could help but we don't even know what it does," Tom reasoned as he looked at the man who was facing away from him. Silence stretched between them, there were many places that could be searched for the answer, the Archive was one, but Lucius was searching for the Charter, the other option was the Restricted Section, Tom mused.

Severus drew a breath and said simply, "There is one more place, but we have to locate it," he began. Tom sat at attention, his brows knitting together as he did so only to rapidly arrive at the conclusion Severus had, "We would have to locate the library of Salazar Slytherin, which is in the Chamber of Secrets," he said after a moment. The words echoed in his mind and Tom flinched as he felt something grabbing him. Suddenly he was falling backward and the world around him faded as something else occupied his mind.

The flurry of dresses and the supple tones of a waltz echoed through the stone walls of the castle. It was cold and the snow was falling outside, gathering upon every surface it could touch as frost encrusted the windows. The golden glow of torches seemed to turn the evening into a wondrous and bright affair. Laughter and chatter echoed in the distance, but is was muffled by the sound of dress shoes hitting the floor. Tom looked over his shoulder to ensure that no one was following him, as he walked through the hallway. It was a blur as he dodged people and slipped through the halls unnoticed.

Abruptly the memory shifted and he was standing in an opulent study, books from floor to ceiling covered the walls, and the fire in the hearth sparked. Standing by a shelf with tome in hand he skimmed the pages, his other hand cradling the volume gently. The shelves were made of mahogany and ebony, the upholstery was green and silver. The book was snapped shut as a pair of blue eyes fell on the desk before the fire, the portrait above it was abandoned, and he advanced with grace. The familiar stone beneath his feet was smooth as his shoes clicked and the soft cracking of the fire in the hearth as the wood was burned echoed.

The warmth on his skin was gentle and the room was so familiar and soothing, but dark and mysterious all at once. The copious amount of books and electrifying amount of magic woven into the room made his skin tingle. He drew nearer the desk when he looked into a polished goblet, something was moving behind him. Tom stiffened and gripped his Yew and Phoenix feather wand, drawing it swiftly before attempting to pivot, before feeling something rip into his skin, searing through him as though it could cut into his soul.

Everything spun as he crumbled, a muffled voice filled his head, it was muddled and impossible to decipher.

Tom felt himself being shaken and fingers being pressed to his neck, his ears were ringing as he shot up and gasped for air. Crimson orbs were wide with anxiety as he attempted to fight off the person who was holding his limbs down. "Tom," said a voice near him, it was deep like velvet and familiar in an obscure way. Things were fast as his vision cleared, "TOM!" called the voice once more, and he found himself under the concerned dark gaze of Severus. "Tom," he called once again, only this time did he relax and look up at Severus. While he was confused he knew fighting the man was pointless. His head was throbbing, it felt as though someone had taken a meat cleaver to it as he rubbed his temples.

"Are you okay?" asked Severus as he slowly released Tom's limbs from his hold. The Lord was still confused as he looked at the Potion Master. There was no reason for him to be pinned to the bed, he knew Severus wasn't going to allow himself such pleasures unless it was mutual. He stared at the man above him, grappling for words mentally only to turn up empty handed. "Tom, are you okay?" asked Severus once more as he slowly swept Tom's bangs back, his hands cool against his clammy skin. The Lord blinked owlishly, he didn't know, and wasn't comfortable providing an answer. Yet, he didn't want to say he didn't because then Severus would rush off to his books, which contradicted his purpose for rubbing Severus down.

Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle – Gaunt was fighting a war within himself, one which had been waged between right and wrong. With a deep breath he decided and replied, "No." Severus stared at him worry sparking in his eyes as they drifted over him, tingles of the Potion Master's magic swept over his skin, it was cool but familiar. "What happened?" asked Severus as he backed off, allowing Tom space to breathe. The brunette sat up slowly, his body aching and head still swimming slightly. He rubbed his temples absentmindedly prior to responding, "I had a flash of something," he said, "it was strange, it felt like a memory but then it didn't feel as though it were mine." Severus' dark eyes narrowed, he could see the mind of the man swirling in an attempt to find anything that could explain it.

There was a way to view it, but he would have to dive into the mind of the man, and since Tom was currently mentally in distress it was unwise to do so. Severus sighed, clearly arriving at the same conclusion he had only to pause and asked, "Do you think Narcissa still has them?" Tom tilted his head and arched a brow, he didn't understand what Severus was asking, there were many things that belonged to Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, the Potion Master had to be more specific. "What?" he asked slightly exasperated. Severus straightened his shirt and replied, "The one thing I know can help you." That was even more ambiguous and he watched the man rise from his position on the bed and stalk away.

Tom jumped to his feet and quickly strode to follow the Potion Master. They walked through the house and Tom felt something strange working into his body, an odd spark of hope that what ever Severus hoped Narcissa had would help them.

~~WL~~

Boxes tumbled to the floor, as a cloud of dust erupted in their wake, resulting in a heavy cough from Harry and sneeze from the young Malfoy scion. The pair stared at the pile of boxes on the floor and Draco laughed a little, "I didn't plan on that happening," he stated. Harry's green eyes narrowed at Draco and he said, "You never do," and laughed at the growl the young boy released. Boxes of many sizes had fallen, the pair had taken to discovering old rooms of the mansion that had been forgotten since the Gaunts had left it to rot in despair. They had found many books and artifacts as well as rare articles, and despite the warnings of the Malfoys and Tom they continued to explore. Draco sighed, and Harry looked over at the boy, he had become closer to Draco and saw him as a brother. It was odd, how he slowly felt as though he belonged.

Tom had been wonderful and taught him, as did every adult in the expansive house, but there was something about exploring it that seemed far more attractive than anything else. Draco dusted himself off as he stood up and looked at the mess of boxes that had once been a tower, "We should clean this up," he stated as he walked over to them and looked at their contents. Harry nodded, he didn't really want to irritate the House elves, they already liked him but the idea of a house elf being irritated to the point that he might lose many things wasn't exactly on his list of things to do. He knelt on the floor and began to pick up the pages on to hear something, it was odd, distant and sounded like hissing.

Small hands hovered above the floor boards and he stared at the box, his ears peaked by the sound of hissing and whispers, they were soft and didn't sound entirely human. Harry looked at the box from which it emanated from and slowly gripped the lip of it, the dark purple hue was drastic against his fair skin. Draco paused, the shuffling stopping entirely and the blonde asked, "What's wrong?" Harry ignored him and pulled the box over, the hissing grew louder as did the whispers, the closer he became the more it transformed into chatter. "Harry?" asked Draco as the Potter scion looked into the box, the sound was there, it was as though it called to him, a siren that had been forgotten.

The brunet began pulling the yellowed pages out, their rustling filled the air, "What the? Harry we are supposed to be picking it up not making more of a mess," chided Draco. The further down the box he got the irritated he became and quickly flipped the box upside down, resulting in all of the contents to spill out onto the floor. Draco was about to protest when Harry finally hear it, hissing, whispers and what sounded like murmurs, there was a pull. This pull was something he had felt before, back in the library and when he held the legacy crystal, familiar but terrifying. Sitting amongst the mass of pages was a dark wooden box with two letters engraved on the lid, AG. Harry picked it up and slowly slipped his fingers over it's smooth finish, finding not a single imperfection in the craftsmanship.

Draco had fallen silent as Harry opened the box, nestled inside it was a dark black velvet pouch. "Harry, perhaps we should just put that back," warned Draco, the concern working into his voice. The boy was about to agree until he felt something warm wrap around his fingers and the murmurs transformed into purring and more congruent sentences. Harry shook his head as he slipped the pouch into his palm, opening it ever so slowly to look at its contents. "Playing cards?" he asked curiously as he slowly slipped them out, the deck was thicker than that though, they were also slightly larger and purple in hue. Draco looked over his shoulder, "I thought they were tarot but they don't seem to be," he stated.

The images were drawn in white and black, the purple background providing dimension as the dark and sensual images flickered across the cards. Each piece was simple but expressive, oddly different when compared to other things. Humming, the cards hummed in his fingers, and Harry felt an urge to do something before he even understood the motions he cut the deck, the sound of the crisp cards falling against one another echoed in the room before he began to leaf through them, the cards falling free as he did so, each hitting the floor, some faces up and others not. They had none of the traditional imagery, there weren't names or faces, it was all symbols and swirls of black and white against purple. By the time he had finished there was a line of seven cards on the floor. The images were enthralling as his fingers wept over them.

He didn't know how to read them an yet he felt as though he was, his mind seemed to flicker as he looked over the cards. Just then the doors slammed open, cuasing the boy to jerk, he was about to pick up the cards as a pair of dark brown shoes and black boots stopped before him. "Sorry, sir, I'll pick it up," he stated as he looked up at Tom and Severus, the pair weren't harsh but he still didn't like not using the proper titles for them, he felt as though it were an insult to them. The floor boards groaned as Tom looked down at the row and Severus joined him. Their gaze on the cards, "What do they say?" he asked as he looked to Harry. The boy blinked as he looked at the collection of images, "That someone who believes they are whole is not, that there is a piece missing that is crucial. It goes on to state that despire their efforts to cultivate the self they will always be snarled in an internal battle. While it is possible to overcome this," he began and looked to the next card, "It may not be applicable."

Harry's fingers swept over the cards before he looked to the last one, "You have to learn that not everything is as it seems," he stated. Severus stared at the cards before asking, "How long have you been reading them?" Harry shrugged and hummed as he picked up the seven cards. They were slick between his fingers and smelled of orchids and lotus flours. "I didn't, they fell out of the deck face up," he stated. Severus held his hand out for the desk and Harry listened to it tremble before settling, oddly quiet, he had never seen an object do such a thing.

Potion stained fingers slipped through the cards, examining them as he went, "This deck," he began his eyes flickering over the cards, "its extremely rare, in fact, I think this is the oldest example I have ever seen," he mused aloud as the sound of the cards flicking through the air filled the space. Silver, red and emerald eyes fell upon the man who was now sitting cross legged on the floor, his hair falling free from the leather tie that was holding it in place. He flipped the stack around with a card on the bottom, "Harry, what do you see?" he asked as he held the image toward the boy.

The image was a swirl of white and black, it looked as though it were a face in a tree, his eyes narrowed examining every aspect of the image. Searching for something, for meaning, it was odd, the whispers only go louder before he replied, "Organic, fortitude, a sense of stability but the ability to bend when needed," his eyes closed before he stated, "An anchor for those without." Harry could see something in his mind, a thread, it was beautiful and he had never seen it before. There was a hum of approval from the deep voice of the Potion Master and Harry opened his eyes to see the man before him flicker to yet another card.

"This one?" he asked curiously as he flipped the deck once more.

Harry stared at the image, it was of a woman holding her self but large sweeps coming out of her back, as though they were wings. It made him pause for a moment as he stared at her, many would see joyous ascension but he saw, "Falling, wounded, hurting," he stated as he slowly reached out toward one of them, at first it appeared to be the card. However, the small hand turned toward Tom, "Plummeting without stop and fear of eventually hitting the ground," he stated his eyes falling on Tom.

The Lord stared silently, and Harry blinked before asking, "Why are you asking?" Severus slowly tapped the cards on the edges so they fell in place before holding them out to the boy. Severus folded his hands and replied, "You have a gift, that many have attempted to learn and wasted lifetimes trying to do." Harry tilted his head before looking at Draco, who looked just as intrigued as the young Potter had. Severus crossed his arms before continuing, "Not all magic is the same, there are specialty fields, as you know."

The Potion Master slipped into the mode of the famed Hogwarts Professor as he began to review what he knew and share what was relevant. "One of them is very old, magic that was believed to be, extinct," he stated. Extinct practices were few and far between from what Harry had read, it usually resulted due to masters being unable to find the proper students, those with the skill to learn. Severus looked to the cards and asked, "Do you hear them?" it was sincere and the gleam in the man's eyes told Harry he truly needed to know. The young wizard felt uncomfortable as the others watched him in curiosity; once again he was in the limelight, a place he was beginning to despise.

The young boy nodded and looked at Severus, matching his gaze, he had learned that Severus was one of the few who respected those who made eye contact with him, it was a show of strength and courage, for what ever reason Harry didn't know. "They whisper, and hiss," he replied simply. Severus looked at the deck and then to Harry, his gaze flickering between the two as though he had witnessed the impossible. He then turned his attention to Tom, "Do you hear them?" asked Severus.

The Lord was silent and Harry could tell he had heard them, "I can." The room was still and Harry began to wonder where the man was heading, "I know Draco can not, but I can," he said in awe as he looked at the cards now resting on the floor between them. Draco shifted slightly and Harry could tell he wasn't comfortable. "What does that mean?" asked Harry.

Severus slowly sat up and looked at Tom, before responding, "There are some skills that can no be taught, they are talents we are born with, this one, the ability to use those requires the ability to do an older craft than even recorded," he stated. The cards flew from Harry's fingers and began to hover as Severus flickered through them wandlessly, "They are not for seeing the future, or the past," he explained as he looked at the images and listened to the inhumanity language falling from the on his ears. "They allow us to see something far more powerful," he stated as the cards began to put themselves in order. "Soul magic," he stated, the words hanging in the room heavily.

Soul magic, Harry had heard mention of it and read it was very rare, and the practice it's self was extinct according to nearly every record available. "These cards are a tool that allow us to examine more than our own soul but those of another, that was why I asked you to tell me what you saw in the cards," he explained as he shuffled them in the air. "Rare magic, very old as well, I am uncertain how old these are, but from what I can feel this deck," he began and paused as the cards began to glow teal, the same teal as the crystal, "This deck is like nothing I have ever felt before," he stated. Harry's eyes never left the cards as he watched the deck change color, from the regal purple to a blazing black, the drawings slipping into silver and gold with hints of bronze, making it stand out even more.

Harry slowly brushed his fingers against the cards, "There are 54 in total, they have changed since new masters have arrived, apparently we all like similarly styled cards," he stated. These cards, Harry had never seen anything like them, he had been impressed by the crystal but these were radically different from those, they were responsive to the proximity of others and seemed to rely on something else. Harry was intrigued as he watched Draco stare at the cards, "I don't see anything," he said in confusion. Harry looked over at the blonde and wondered why he could hear them, and see them, yet Draco could not. The Potter scion paused and looked at the two elder wizards, it wasn't just him, they could see it as well, this meant that they were also able to do this magic. Severus was more knowledgeable than Tom which made him wonder if the Potion Master was actually more skilled than he led on. "What are they used for?" asked Harry after a moment.

Severus slipped the deck into the bag and replied earnestly, "I don't know, they seem limitless, I will have to do more reading." It wasn't the best answer Harry had been given but it was better than not receiving one. He nodded and watched as Tom stared at the cards, blankly, the mumbles were turning into sentences and Harry felt the urge to stroke the cards, only to break from the trance as Severus slipped them into his robes. "Draco, you should get changed, you are covered in dust, as should you Harry," Severus stated as he got off the floor, Tom followed him. It was odd when they shadowed one another but not so strange that it didn't make sense. There was something about the pair that made Harry wonder if they would ever admit their feelings for one another.

The pair left only for Harry to see something else, a tattered notebook, it had been in the same box as the cards. Draco had returned to muttering about the house and it's strange items as Harry looked at the book. He opened it and his eyes fell on a section written in crimson ink, with drawings of what looked like a legacy crystal, at least he thought that was what they were called. "Hey Draco," he called, causing the blonde to look up, eyes narrowed as though he were going to run and grab the two elder wizards who had just walked away, "What's a Solaris?" he asked in confusion.

Draco tested the name on his tongue and shrugged, "No idea, why?" he asked. Harry hummed as he looked through the book, most of the pages were blank except that one, the inside cover had Solaris written across it in large calligraphy with the initials, A. H. Gaunt, M.P., O.M. 1, and C.W. They were strange and reminded Harry of how muggles listed degrees. He held onto the book and set it aside, it was odd, he felt as though he had picked it up once before, and somehow read it, yet it wasn't possible, this was his first time doing so.

The young Potter shrugged it off as he sifted the rest of the pages into the box near him. Only to hear an owl above them, with a cry the barn owl swept into the room and Harry watched as it dropped a letter on Draco, immediately he knew it was a list of supplies for Hogwarts, he recognized the parchment and crest. All he had to do was wait for his letter, the book rested behind him forgotten as Draco pulled the letter out and said, "The usual list of supplies," he glanced to Harry before continuing, "If you don't get in, we can go somewhere else, Salem Academy is good, as is Drumstrang." Of course he was willing to follow Harry causing the boy to hug the blonde, "Thanks, Draco." A smile curled the blondes lips as he slowly relaxed in the young wizard's hold.

~~WL~~

Piercing gray eyes watched with interest as the deck was pulled out of its pouch for the first time in nearly a millennium. A smile curled their owners lips as he slipped his hands into his pockets, "Finally, now we can get started," he stated. Dark hair was swept to the side as a young man smiled like cat and swept through the hallway silently, his footsteps soft and did nothing to rouse suspicion. There was a whisper of silk and he looked to his side to see the familiar dark skin of the only other person he trusted, "He has found them?" he asked.

The gray eyed wizard nodded, it was a matter of time, "How can we be certain it will work this time?" asked the man beside him, his green eyes lingering on the pale skinned wizard. They continued through the hallway, the hands of the taller of the pair, tucked into his brilliant crimson robes. "It has to, it's the last chance we have. Besides, we managed to prevent it from falling into the hands of the wrong person," he stated. The dark skinned wizard sighed, his ink black hair swayed as he ran his fingers through it. "This time, but there is a chance he could take it, this is a monumental risk," he stated. A lush chuckle filled the air between the two as they swept through the hallways, unseen and soundless, "I know, but this is the last chance we have, besides, it's his destiny."

Destiny and fate are fickle things, they are what control the way in which time is spent. They continued through the house until the paused before the doors leading toward the ocean, the view was the same as it had been when they resided there. "Destiny is fickle, this could end badly, and then there will be nothing left, can't we aid him somehow?" asked the dark skinned wizard, his tones nearly pleading with the other to listen to reason. A sigh heaved slender shoulders, "Amar, we can't. We have done what we can, Salazar warned us of the ramifications if we meddle," he replied.

Amar glared out the window and at the sea, "Alcester, I don't agree, we have to help him or all will be destroyed." The memory of fires that had licked the world under foot was haunting, and the flashes of possible futures yet to occur was enough to cause both of them men to turn to the sea. Their gaze falling upon the waves, "Our aid has a price, not just to them, but ourselves," stated Alcester as he folded his arms, his hands resting on his biceps as the silver bands on his ring finger and thumb sparkled in the light. There was always a cost, a price to be paid, for life it was death or the return of a gift to the cosmos, but for this, the price was higher.

Alcester sighed as he leaned against the open door and continued, "We can control destiny as much as we control the tides of the sea." Amar grit his teeth and replied hotly, "No, we can change the tides, we just have to throw a large enough stone." In theory the idea would work, but to throw a stone so large had repercussions, and Alcester looked at Amar with concern. "You do understand what you suggest could prove fatal to everyone if we do not execute the task properly," he stated sternly. Amar smirked, his lips curling in an ever teasing arc as his green eyes held a spark of determination. "Of all the wizards to tell me he believes he can change the stars, you are the one to do so," he stated. Amar was classically trained in many arts and had been adamant about not interfere, to look on others but not intervene or otherwise disturb events.

It was contrary to all of the man's beliefs, to change destiny by forcing it to do so, it wasn't possible, at least in his eyes. "How do you suggest you do that?" asked Alcester and Amar hummed. There was a pause as the unspoken answer vibrated between them, "We both know there is only one way," stated Amar. The one thing they did not desire to use again, the thing that had created the pain would be their salvation. "It will only work if we manage to obtain all the pieces, if so we only have to worry about it shattering everything," stated Amar simply, he made it sound as though he were purchasing another cauldron not the fact that he was attempting to change the fates of millions and their destinies, a feat that seemed as impossible as changing the stars in the skies above.

"No, we have to destroy it all," stated Alcester, his tone was cold, resulting in an unnerving chill to sweep over them. Amar whipped his head around, dark hair sweeping as he did so to glare at the wizard beside him incredulously, the notion was ludicrous and anti-productive. His green eyes searched the cool gray eyes of the noble beside him for an hint of just what Alcester was planning.

Alcester leaned his head against the door frame as the ocean winds caressed his face, "Everything ends, we all want to know how, but there's a truth to that ending," he stated as he looked up into the emerald gaze of Amar, it was puzzled and filled with curiosity, "It's just another word for the beginning."

~~WL~~

It never drizzles, it pours and in this instance it was a tracheal downpour in the office of the Headmaster. Albus glared at the massive number of letters telling him he was inept for not taking the new Lord in as a Professor. Parents were raving for missing a chance to have someone competent fill the post while Lockheart was the better choice since he could control him, everyone was fascinated by the clever Marvolo Gaunt. Albus glanced to the chess board, he noticed the pieces had shifted, and knew all too well that the new lord had made his move. Albus didn't want to move from his stance, he didn't agree with the notion of a new Lord teaching students especially one as young as Gaunt. The young Lord was making a great deal of noise, calling for legal reforms and proving Lucius with a much-needed ally in Wizengamot, they had yet to meet but he had a feeling the young lord was going to attack him.

Albus quickly rose, he was due within an hour and decided to use his position as Supreme mugwump and head of Witenagemot to his advantage. His eyes fell on a sleeping Fawkes as he spun on his heel to head to the Ministry. The Ministry was quiet and the hallways were still when he entered, this wasn't a good sign, usually he had managed to make individuals talkative, he was considered one of the leaders, the Leader of the Light, yet currently he wasn't in favor. He quickly walked into the room filled with Wizarding Lords, it was far too quiet. Silver eyes narrowed as they slipped over the room, each of the Lords was dressed in traditional fashion, elegant robes that fell from their shoulders and over their backs. Each robe was a deep plum all of them fell into this category and Albus smiled. He had uniformity, with a little opposition from Malfoy, but he was certain that the blonde could be stifled, especially with his methods of persuasion.

He swept through the room and took a seat at the head of the room, his position of power in order to attempt to rule over them. Albus had always had a taste for power, and had since been in control of the way the wizarding world swayed, if he decided a spell or law was dark it was struck from the books and a new one that allowed him more control was implemented. His fingers rested on the dark mahogany table as he looked over all the Lords, all of the seats that were empty had been. The Headmaster paused, and looked at the empty seats once again only to realize he was incorrect, there should have been someone occupying the place of Gaunt.

A smirk curled his lips as he felt his mood lighten, he hadn't been interested in facing Gaunt and this gave him ammunition to chastise the lord in the future as a means to control the man who had stirred his usually calm group. He was about to pick up the gavial to call the meeting to order only for the massive double doors at the end of the hallway to swing open, the sound of them bursting apart with brute force could be mistaken as thunder. The sound ricochet off the walls and filled the high vaulted ceiling, it was louder than his gavial ever could be. Every Lord's attention was on the figure who had just thrown the doors open and Albus gripped the piece of wood tightly as he grit his teeth.

Dressed in a charcoal suit with a bright crimson tie, black dress shirt and wrapped in a royal blue robe was none other than the newest member of Wizengamot. His eyes fell on the Windsor knot positioned at the man's throat and the casual cut of his long robe, without it he could pass off as a muggle in a suit. The suit had a thin lapels, and then he noticed the vest and his brown leather shoes, with a brown belt. He glided across the floor with the grace of a seasoned duelist. His crimson eyes were unnerving as he looked at Albus and a teasing smirk curled his lips, the very aura of this Lord could be described as dark and even sensual making Albus cringe. It was potent and he noticed a number of Lords looking at him in a manor that could only be described a starved.

Marvolo stood in the middle of the room and said broadly, "Apologies, apparently the owl with the notice that the meeting had been moved up just arrived at the Estate, it's a good thing I was here anyway," his voice was as lush and seductive as velvet. Albus was about to say otherwise when he noticed a murmur of understanding, they were already being swayed by the young Lord, and he hadn't even opened the meeting. "See that it doesn't happen again Lord Gaunt," he stated. Marvolo nodded and quickly took his seat, even the way he sat could only be described as demanding. Albus looked at his parchment, this young Lord was a third his age and in reality had no where to go but up. He wasn't ignorant, he understood that someone like Gaunt would be difficult, however, he hadn't expected him to have amassed a following so quickly.

"It is with this that I sight the issue at hand, the current status of our laws stipulates that the Ministry may not become involved in the education of our students except in the standardized tests known as OWLS and NEWTS," he stated. The room was quiet before one of the lesser Lords said, "Of course, our school shouldn't be contaminated by the agenda of the Ministry. It's a school, not a battle ground." Albus smiled with satisfaction as he watched a number of Lords become swayed, he was already receiving half of them when Lord Gaunt rose from his seat. His hands were at his sides and he stood tall, even his posture was ideal.

The room was filled with chatter as they spoke over one another until Lord Malfoy asked, "Lord Gaunt, your stand on the issue?" Albus had expected the voice to be drowned out only for the antithesis to occur, it became silent. Irritation was becoming even more present as he watched the entire room turn to him, including the lesser lords who had followed him without question. At first he didn't think much of the Lord, the entrance had gained their attention and they had gone through a number of topics until they reached Hogwarts. "The Ministry has the right to ensure that the standard of education is as high as other schools as well as determine if the policies and curriculum are appropriate in accordance to the newer and more modern crafts emerging," he stated.

A cry was heard from the other side of the room, and what had seemed serene had just erupted into chaos. It was impossible to distinguish one voice from another as the members began to argue, at first it was only elevated tones it quickly escalated until Lord Gaunt held up his hand and continued, "It would also be in the best interest of Wizengamot to select an individual to over see the education of our young people as well, they are our future after all." The room went still and he watched Lord Malfoy rise to stand on the opposite side of the room. He was aware that Malfoy had announced the Lord but as to his motives he was confused. Malfoy was a traditionalist, to see him siding with the new Lord crying for a new method of teaching was confounding.

The platinum-haired Lord hummed as he added, "We have the right to see how the future wizards and witches of our nation are being taught, it is a fact that Salem, Beauxbatons and Drumstrang are all ahead of Hogwarts in terms of curriculum and their students are far more formidable on the international stage." Albus suppressed the urge to shout, as he thought of a way out of it, "Hogwarts is a privet school, we do not have to adhere to this," he stated. That was when Tom grinned, as he did so he wandlessly dispersed scrolls of paper. He watched the scroll fall before him and unwind it's self. Instantly he recognized it, taxes. It was where Gaunt had been, to investigate their taxes and financial standing.

He grit his teeth as Gaunt stated, "According to Article Two of the National British Wizarding Bank Code, in accordance to the Royal Bank of England, all institutions are required to pay a certain amount of taxes based on the number of students enrolled and tuition collected," he began as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "Every year we ask for the release of current enrollment numbers, scholarship information, and the release of the average GPA and NEWT as well as OWL scores," he elaborated. Whispers were heard around the room, Marvolo dug, he had to have dug through the records to get his hands on the information, that was considered the public record. "As you can see consistently there has been less money being paid to the Bank, the proper amount that should be paid is," he began and smiled at Albus with a grin of triumph, "listed at the bottom of the page."

Albus' eyes widened at the figure he had been paying a quarter that sum, "We have a school to run it can not all go to taxation," he defended. Marvolo hummed as the room seemed to thrum in accord with the Headmaster, he had to regain control. "Oh I agree, however, you have not announced new programs and renovations, the last renovation was fifty years ago, prior to your appointment as Headmaster," he explained, "There is a reason there are tax cuts on new programs." The room's attention was on Marvolo, as Albus suppressed a growl, clearly the Lord wasn't going to back down. He had thought rejecting the Lord's application would be enough to school him, to lecture him on tardiness, only to find that Gaunt had managed to get his hands on the last thing he wanted to appear officially as public record. All of the subjects discussed in Wizengamot were public, it included the documents released by one Lord to the rest.

Out of the blue Avery rose and stated, "I call for an audit of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on ground of missing funds and unacceptable education standards," his voice served as a call. And eight Lords rose, Albus' world was tilting as Amelia Bones rose and stated, "I appoint Lord Malfoy as Financial and Policy Auditor and Lord Gaunt as Education Auditor." Both of the Lords in question turned their attention to the woman, there was a mixture of confusion and appreciation in their expression. "I support," called Barty Crouch Sr. The Ministry had confirmed and immediately the room was in a vote. Albus was powerless he was Supreme Mugwump, he did not posses a vote.

A unanimous "aye" was heard and he stared at the individuals he thought would follow him to the end. Marvolo had just won his first move and now was asked to enter Hogwarts. "It is suggested under the advisement of the Ministry for Magic that Lord Gaunt take the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor," added Judge Bones, she had the power to, as the school was no longer in his hands but those of the court and the Ministry. "Accepted," said Marvolo with a nod and the room was filled with clapping. Albus had been out maneuvered, it was his turn.

His silver eyes fell on the young Lord in question, now the threat was in the school, and he would have to address it, one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for commenting and reading. I know I haven't posted in a while. I've been swamped at work. The Cake Decorator walked out in May and since its Graduation Season I've been the one decorating the cakes. It's a tall order, but I'm doing it.
> 
> I know there are a lot of politics in this work as well as legalese, so thank you for sticking it out. Don't worry you will get a lot more Drama when they get to the school, which is just where the next chapter goes.


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